PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida – With apologies for some very good events in the United Arab Emirates, Lee Westwood is on the verge of the biggest victory in a long career that has seen him win worldwide.
There are still 18 holes to go. In addition, he has to look at Bryson DeChambeau’s biceps for another four hours on Sunday.
But Westwood gave himself a two-shot lead towards the final round of the Players Championship. A victory in the so-called “fifth great tournament” of golf would be as popular in this sport as in the pubs of his native Worksop, England.
In 2020, at 47, Westwood was the oldest winner of the European Tour race to Dubai. He won last year in Abu Dhabi and won the Dubai World Championship in 2009.
He played on 10 European Ryder Cup teams; he is on the winning team seven times. He won 23 points and being named captain is in his near future.
But …
He never won an important championship. He never won a World Golf Championship event. He never won Europe’s main tournament, the BMW PGA Championship.
“Without a doubt,” he said when asked if the players would be the best in his career. “It would be the biggest tournament I have ever won.”
There is some irony in all of this. A decade ago, Westwood skipped players – he was ranked number 1 in the world at the time. He was not a member of the PGA Tour at the time, instead he played mainly on the European Tour. It was then seen as an affront to the PGA Tour, skipping his landmark event because he didn’t want to travel to the United States for just one tournament.
That was a different time. And now, Westwood is in a different place.
“I don’t like to compare Lee Westwood 10 or 20 years ago with Lee Westwood today,” he said on Saturday after a third round 68 at TPC Sawgrass saw him take a 2-shot lead over DeChambeau and a 3-lead shots on Justin Thomas and Doug Ghim.
“I’m certainly enjoying myself on the golf course like never before. This is probably helping me to play great golf. ”
A week ago, he took DeChambeau to the 18th hole at the Bay Hill Club, finally missing a shot when the US Open champion exhausted a nervous stroke for a one-shot victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
The 20-year difference in age or the considerable difference in length off the tee compared to DeChambeau did not bother Westwood. He emphasized that he is simply enjoying the process and not focusing so much on the results.
“I think Helen is a big part of that,” said DeChambeau, referring to Westwood’s caddy and fiancee, Helen Storey. “She is keeping it steady and balanced. She is a rock. Keeps your mind focused on the right things. She has been incredible to him. And this is one of your secret weapons, I think. ”
Storey has been his almost full-time caddy since 2018 – he occasionally used his son, Sam – and the partnership has produced some good results. Westwood is now in 31st place in the world, the highest since 2014.
“I think that in my career stage there is not much that a caddy can tell me,” he said. “But obviously, Helen puts me in a fantastic mood outside. Psychologically, she can help me and say the things I need to hear. It helps me in this aspect of an immeasurable amount. ”
Westwood remained patient on Saturday after making nine consecutive pairs to start the round. He then made birdies on holes 10, 12, 16 and 17. He had no bogeys and is going to another Sunday in the center of the stage. The big stage, however, is where the problems lie.
He has 25 wins on the European Tour, which is in eighth place. He has 44 professional wins. But he also never won a major tournament, even though nine finished in the top 10, including 12 in the top 5.
In 2008, when Tiger Woods – with a broken leg – putt a birdie on hole 72 to force a playoff with Rocco Mediate, Westwood was the character forgotten in all of that. He missed a shot before Woods hit his shot that would have taken Westwood into Monday’s playoff. In 2009, when Tom Watson, 59, almost won the Open before losing on extra holes to Stewart Cink, it was Westwood who missed the playoff by a single shot. In 2010, when Phil Mickelson hit his memorable shot through the trees on the 13th, en route to a Masters victory, it was Westwood who finished second.
Westwood wouldn’t go so far as to say that winning on Sunday would be the same as winning an important tournament.
“This is such a prestigious title and a great tournament to win,” he said.
At 47, however, it would be incredibly sweet.