Lee Westwood shots 69 in the first round of the Open Championship

The golfer talks with the press after the beginning of the Open

in the Lions team. Oh, did you start there? I mean, you know, should he have been in the Lions team? Who? Morgan. Best jacket in the world. I think he probably should. I’m sure. I am part Well, so you know, put an arm around you. Is that possible? If you want. So nice to see everybody. You like this course, don’t you? I do. Yeah. That’s part of the reason why I tried to qualify. You know, I uh I love the Open Championship and I love Port Rush. You know, I’ve been coming here a long time and uh you know, it’s just a Port Rush is one one of the golf courses where some if it wasn’t the Open and somebody said, “Do you want to go and play Port Rush this weekend?” I’d probably go. There’s not many golf courses like that. And you don’t mind the condition though, do you? I prefer not to get soaking wet, but uh I was asked whether I’d rather have wind or rain yesterday. I said wind for sure cuz somebody heard me, didn’t they? And uh you know, we had a bit of everything. So, um I don’t mind hiding behind the umbrella and having to run a few in, hit four four extra clubs on some yardages. What’s your attitude and mindset as it’s, you know, firm and fast course that’s getting wetter in front of you in real time? Like, how do you adjust your mindset? Just use your experience really. You know, just because it’s rained on it doesn’t mean it stops any quicker. Sometimes it actually runs out further because the first because the golf course actually doesn’t get softer, it stays firm, but and then the the second and third bounces are skidding because of the water on the green. So, you know, what might have stopped in 15 yards is now taking 25 yards to stop. Now it’s wet. What pleased you particularly about your performance today? Uh everything really. Had the ball well. Had loads of chances. Puted great. Um, short game was good when I needed it. So, um, yeah, it was all around. It couldn’t have really been any more than 69, I don’t think. Probably should have been six and six or seven under through 12. So, so Cam Smith was in here earlier and he said you played a few recently said you were hitting it as good as he’s seen it the last few years. Would you agree? Yeah, I think my form’s probably and and I feel in control of my golf swing and and Yeah, it’s it’s as good as it’s been for a while. Yeah. Seeing your name up there, Lee, did that get the old juices going again? Oh, yeah. Can’t beat seeing your name up there on a Thursday. Talk again. If it’s up there on Sunday, it’s nice to see it on the big yellow scoreboards and it’s nice to walk down the the 18th here. You know, I’ve always said that is for for a British player, it’s the greatest walk in golf, especially if you’re in with a chance on Sunday. You’ve been in plenty of openings, Lee, where people over 50 have not just put their names on there, but have stuck around. So, is that sort of Yeah. encouraging as well? Yeah. Lynx golf more than any golf, I think, gives you gives you a chance when you’re our age, should I say? Um, youngsters. Yeah, youngsters. Uh, yeah, it’s a while since I’ve been called that. Um, yeah, there’s a bit more run on the ball. Um, you know, it’s there’s there’s it’s not the, you know, a golf course where it’s laid out where, you know, there’s a there’s a massive advantage to carrying a trap at say 310 yards, which I don’t have anymore. You know, you’ve got to use the conditions and hold the ball up well in the side winds and crosswinds and obviously be able to bring your ball flight down when you’re going into the wind. You played in a lot of these, but you’ve been away for a couple of years. Give you a different appreciation when you come back and play again? No, not really. Yeah, I’ve always appreciated the Open Championship and playing in it and being in it. Um, you know, I said earlier this week it’s the greatest championship in golf for me. You know, I’m slightly biased because I’m British, but uh, you know, I guess Americans might say the Masters or the US Open, but uh, um, for me, the Open Championship, it just has everything. Helen’s on the back this week. Uh, how does that work itself out? How do you come up with that decision? She wanted to do it. So, she loves the weather over here. you know, the uh she the fact that she needs two pairs of hands and sometimes three. Um no, she catted for me in the qualifying and uh you know, I prefer to have her qualing for me whenever she can. Um and we have a good record around here from finishing fourth six years ago. So, uh yeah, it was a you know, an easy decision for me to make. Probably harder for her. She’d probably rather be at home riding a horse. Is there a reason why you didn’t try the last couple years to qualify for this? Yeah, there was various reasons. I got various things booked and and scheduled in, you know, I was playing a lot of golf around that time and um I just you got to weigh up the pros and cons and this year there was a lot of pros. How tough was 16 playing today? Um yeah, really tough. Um I lost I lost grip of my club and slipped a bit at the same time so that wasn’t ideal. Um, but anytime that’s playing in too hard off the left and it’s raining and and the pins on the right, it’s it’s a tough shot.