PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – The climb of Lee Westwood’s rhythm finishes is beyond what some might realize.
He was second to Bryson DeChambeau at Bay Hill two weeks ago, then second to Justin Thomas at the Players Championship last week. And on Tuesday, he played with 19-year-old son Sam at Augusta National while completing two days of preparation for Masters next month.
“I set a target of 83 for him and he scored the last one for a birdie for 82,” Westwood said. “So he won the money.”
Add to it all, and he’s been a golfer lately for Westwood, 47-years-old. He will play a fourth consecutive event this week at the Honda Classic at PGA National, which begins Thursday. Second-place back finishes, without the unofficial one after sending his son at Augusta, have climbed Westwood 20 spots in world rankings to No. 19.
Even though he admits he’s a little tired right now – “my feet feel a little tired,” he said – Westwood hasn’t considered skiing a Honda, an event that has tried to be loyal for years, even after grinding off competing on two difficult courses in consecutive weeks and pushing in 54 holes of practice at Augusta National to start the -this week.
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“This is one of my favorite competitions of the year,” Westwood said. “I really enjoy this golf course. It’s a good challenge for me. There are a lot of pictures out there where you have to bet and play the picture. I love the Bear Trap challenge. It’s always a bit windy, I like it too. “
The Bear Trap, named for Jack Nicklaus, is a three-hole National PGA Explaining a stretch going over numbers 15 through 17, two par 3s sandwiching par 5. It is not uncommon for the wind blowing in three different directions on these holes.
Defensive champion Sungjae Im is back this year at Honda after a 2020 run with a 6-under 274, the highest PGA National score since Mark Wilson shot 275 and won in a playoff in 2007.
Daniel Berger, who makes his home near PGA National, was to become the top player in the field at No. 15; Berger missed his pro-time tour Wednesday with a rib injury and later withdrew from the event. Five former world 1s are playing: Adam Scott, Luke Donald, Vijay Singh, Martin Kaymer and Westwood.
Tournament officials are allowing 10,000 fans each day at the Honda, and if a form from the past two weeks holds, there will be plenty for Westwood to see. There is no metric in recording a huge popularity of a course, but it seems to have gone up recently.
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“I think I’ve always been very popular, but it seems to have gone up a bit, and it’s good to get crowds back in and fans back in. , get some shouts and make birdies for them and play well for them and give some fun to the people allowed inside, ”said Westwood. “I was sad when we came out of a lock playing crowdless. I was enthusiastic, but it wasn’t the only upbringing. I’ve been playing in front of a crowd for 27 or 28 years now, and it was really hard for me. It’s great that I’m more popular now, and it’s good to play in front of people. ”
It is clear that it is not at all common for European players to be seen in the US; Padraig Harrington in Ireland has been in that department for a long time.
It is no surprise to Harrington that Westwood has become very popular in the last few weeks.
“Lee was, at one time, the best player in the world,” he said. “It’s so good to get through that stage. He has now returned as a senior player and even for his nonfans, they respect what he does. They don’t look at it as the opposite. ”
Sam, his son, will be chewing at Westwood this week. Helen Storey, Westwood’s lover and caddy for the past two weeks, is getting the week off. Sam gets the call for a job again at the Masters; Storey will be working on PGA Tournament and The Open. As for any Ryder Cup designation – if Westwood gets there, as would be expected – that is not yet clear.
“I like being out there with both of them,” Westwood said. “They both keep me calm. We have good chairs out there. ”
They need to do something right. Westwood plays as well as anyone in the late world. And the fans are clearly grateful.
“Maybe if he was at the top of his career, maybe if he was 30 years old, he would be seen as an outsider,” Harrington said. “But now he is seen as a warm and friendly man.”