Lee Westwood has played in the last 27 tournaments and finished in the top 10 six times. I haven't missed a single championship in 28 years and the tournament has played a big role in my career.
It has always been the only one. I had just started playing when I saw Sandy Lyle win in 1985. I was 13 years old and I thought golf was a game for old people. But these pictures on the BBC made me train harder, and after a year I won the Boys' District Championship, and after 18 months I'm not at all from scratch.
I turned pro in 1994 and qualified for my first Open the following year at St. Andrews. I was in the group behind Arnold Palmer and Ian Baker-Finch. I was nervous enough before that first tee, but then I watched from practice on the putting green as Baker-Finch landed that infamous hook across the 18th fairway and out of bounds. Ian lifted the Claret Jug four years ago and couldn't get through the widest fairway back then. It just shows what the Open can do with even the best and it made the butterflies in my stomach even more crazy.
I played okay — I cut — but my main memory is going to the 18th tee in the second round, when right in front of him Arnie was saying goodbye on the Svilkan bridge. It was his last Open, and as a child I thought, «This is surreal.»
The Open is my favorite event. I came up a few times. I was second in 2010 although Louis Ostwizen ran away with him and that was a year ago when I probably had my best chance.
I came to the last one at Turnberry alone behind Tom Watson. My shot hit the fairway bunker and then I made what could have been the best shot of my career — so far! — in contact with green. Behind me, I heard the crowd cheering as Tom split the fairway and I thought I needed to make a birdie for a playoff shot. So I loaded my long shot and then missed the eight-foot back throw. Tom tripped and I missed the playoff, which was won by Stuart Sink, because of a throw.
It was at Turnberry at the 2009 Open that Westwood came closest to claiming a Claret Jug pitcher, missing out on the playoffs by one shot. Photo: Reuters/Russell Cheyne
It took me a few days to get to grips with it, although I'm pretty good at shaking and dealing with it. I think you should have a long golf career. This is not a fair game, and if you are going to protest what you consider to be a misfortune, then you have chosen the wrong sport. With all the variables—weather, potholes, and the draw effect—this applies even more to the Open. That's what makes it so special.
Why didn't I try to qualify? Now I'm 50 and I can't play every week, so I make a schedule and stick to it. And I looked at the summer, with consecutive LIVs in Spain and Hertfordshire a few weeks ago, and then the Open and Senior Open, and decided to make sure I was ready for the latter. It was supposed to be my first senior tournament and I was looking forward to the Royal Portcall.
But then I got an email saying that I have unpaid DP World Tour fines and until I pay them I won't be able to play. I was confused because I pulled out of the tour in May after paying a £100,000 fine for playing the first LIV. That's it, I thought, and an email from Tour confirmed that I'm no longer responsible for any penalties because I'm no longer a member.
Onward Journey: The Open
They said if I ever wanted to come back I would have to fork out £800,000 or so. I didn't and don't intend to go back. I didn't think for a second that this would cut me out of the Senior Open. It's a major, and the majors have mostly stayed away from the LIV saga. But not at this time. It is 50/50 owned by Tour and R&A, and apparently a vote was taken at the meeting. I spoke to Martin Slumbers, R&A CEO, about this, and he asked me to keep what we discussed to myself. Fair enough, but the Senior Open isn't very «open», is it?
As a result, by the time I was informed that I was suspended, my eligibility for the open qualifier had already expired. So it was really a double whammy.
I will watch the Open from my couch — except on Saturday when I go to the Ripon races with my friends. I have to admit, Hoylake isn't my favorite place, though maybe that's because I played shit there. I read my old caddy Billy Foster saying that the new 17th is a «monster» — Billy isn't the type to bite his lip! — and I really don't understand why Open needs more drama. There are so many better guys playing well, I think it would be quite dramatic anyway.
Westwood competed in two Opens at Hoylake, reaching T31 in 2006 and missing out on qualifying in 2014. Photo: Getty Images/Andrew Redington
Rory McIlroy will obviously rule the headlines. He won at Hoylake in 2014, won the Scottish Open superbly on Sunday and was very close at the US Open last month — closer than he has been since winning his fourth major nine years ago. Maybe it will be the one. He canceled his Tuesday press conference, and after being the PGA Tour flag bearer last year or so in the LIV edition, he is now clearly focused on his game. Good move.
After all, we are all friends now, right? Let's be honest, no one knows what will happen in the coming months of negotiations after the parties announced the «framework agreement». We've already discovered a few things that have changed some people's minds, and now it doesn't seem like such a one-sided argument against LIV. I expect other things to come along that will make those in charge of tours more uncomfortable.
But let's put that on hold and enjoy this week. World No. 1 Scotty Sheffler is in incredible form, John Rahm is under scrutiny and England are looking to lift their first claret pitcher in 31 years in Matt Fitzpatrick, Tyrrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood and a few others.
If you're betting, look out for Patrick Reed, the 2018 Masters champion. I played him last week and was impressed with how he hits. His short game is made for the Open and I wouldn't be surprised to see my LIV counterpart right there. It might piss off a couple of noses, but Patrick wouldn't care. In fact, he'd love it.
Can Patrick Reid add a burgundy pitcher to his green jacket? Lee Westwood thinks so. Photo: Reuters/Paul Childs.
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