Lee Westwood says he has been playing Close House virtually every day for the last three to four months preparing for the Betfred British Masters which he will host this week.
Picture by GETTY IMAGES

FORMER World No. 1 Lee Westwood enters the week not only as tournament host but also as one of the favourites to take the Betfred British Masters at Close House.

The Ryder Cup legend claimed his 25th European Tour win earlier this season at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

It also meant he can boast victories across four decades on tour.

The 47-year-old is the first player to host the Betfred British Masters twice following his first stint in 2017.

And has one eye on another double this week – winning the event for the second time – he won in 2007 when it was played at The Belfry.

Hosting duties will take on a very different complexion now for Westwood, with stringent health and safety measures in place at Close House, near Newcastle Upon Tyne.

No fans will be present because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Westwood said: “Hosting has been very different. There has been nothing to do on site with sponsors and fans, which has been a shame.

“We’re trying to keep numbers to a minimum on site. We’ve taken all precautions. It’s up to us to be very careful.

“From what I’ve witnessed people are sticking to it by the letter. The testing procedures are very thorough.

“Everyone on site who has been through it can only have found it impressive.”

Westwood: I have never felt better

THE evergreen Englishman is delighted to be back playing competitively for the first time in five months.

Westwood has been on a strict health regime and has never felt fitter, so he will be a force to be reckoned with at his home course.

The Ryder Cup veteran, who now lives close to Close House, said: “The golf course is in great condition once again. Probably better than the last time we hosted the Betfred British Masters.

“It’s a better time in the calendar for the golf course. The greens are quicker, fairways are immaculate.

“As long as the weather co-operates, we should have a great week.

“I would like to get off to another good start this year. The last time I had a long break and played was in Abu Dhabi.

“So the break didn’t do me too much harm there. I’ve played this golf course a lot, especially over the last three or four months.

“When the courses opened up myself and my son Sam were out here nearly every day either practising or playing.

“This is certainly the fittest I’ve felt, without a doubt. There was a period over lockdown where I didn’t play much golf for five or six weeks.

“So I got myself into the gym and worked hard and continued once I started playing golf again. I’ve been pretty busy with it over the last five months.”

Pepperell pepped up his fitness

EDDIE Pepperell, who won this event in 2018, has also benefited from a health kick during lockdown in the UK.

The Frilford Heath member is feeling “quietly confident” upon his return.

Pepperell and Westwood spoke out in favour of remaining in Europe to play the UK Swing – rather than heading to the USA for the World Golf Championship in Memphis before playing the USPGA at San Francisco’s Harding Park.

The 29-year-old Oxfordshire-based pro said: “I don’t know what to expect this week. I think I’ll play very well or pretty bad.

“I don’t imagine there will be a lot in the middle. I’ve spent a lot of time thinking and practising so I feel it will go one of two ways.

“It doesn’t really stay in the middle when I do that,” said Pepperell, who won his second European Tour title when the British Masters was held at Walton Heath two years ago.

“I’m quietly confident, seeing quite a lot of nice stuff. It’s not a place I like to be, I actually prefer to be worried the day before – that tends to make me focus a little more.

“I think, ironically, given the circumstances and playing with no crowds, it almost might make me doubly intent on focusing hard.

“I know I’m going to have to play well, but also stay immersed in some way in the golf,” added Pepperell, who has the vastly experienced Micky Duran on the bag.

“I think that will be important for me. I’m quietly hopeful but I don’t know what to expect,” added the former England amateur international.

Kinhult enjoyed less restrictions in Sweden

MEANWHILE defending champion Marcus Kinhult is another player feeling comfortable with his game, having enjoyed plenty of practice over the past four months.

The Swede said: “I’m excited to go out again and compete. It’s been just over four months, so it should be fun and I’m looking forward to the week.

“It’s so different now with all the restrictions because of COVID, so I don’t feel the defending champion part as much – more trying to get into the new routines and everything.

“It’s nice to be defending but at the same time it’s a new course and everything is new.

“I just saw that I’m playing with Lee Westwood so that will be fun.

“I’ve just been back home in Sweden in my house. Sweden has had a different approach to coronavirus.

“So we’ve been living not quite like normal, but close to normal. We’ve been playing golf and we’ve been OK.

“So I’ve kind of enjoyed the four months,” added Lee, who moved to Newcastle to Worksop, where he played amateur golf for Nottinghamshire, and England.

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Lee Westwood with his caddy and fiancé Helen Storey playing in last year’s Betfred British Masters at Hillside. Next week he will host the event for a second time at Close House.
Picture by GETTY IMAGES

LEE Westwood will become the first player to host the Betfred British Masters on two occasions when the tournament returns to Close House, near Newcastle-upon-Tyne, next week.

The third European Tour event since a four-month absence because of the coronavirus pandemic, also marks the start of its new six-event UK Swing.

Play gets under way on Wednesday with a Saturday finish as the European Tour avoids clashing with Sky’s coverage of the final day of the Premiership football season, on Sunday afternoon.

The former World No. 1 was host the last time the Betfred British Masters was played at the North East venue in 2017.

And he’ll be joined in the field by the last three winners as he aims to clinch the British Masters title for the second time – following his victory at The Belfry, in 2007.

Westwood enjoyed an impressive start to 2020, before the season was suspended in March due to the global coronavirus pandemic.

The Worksop wonder won the season’s first Rolex Series event – the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, in January,

That was his 25^th European Tour title. Westwood currently sits second in the Race to Dubai Rankings.

The Betfred British Masters marks the full resumption of the European Tour’s 2020 season, following two dual-ranking events in Austria.

All tournaments in the reshaped 2020 season will be subject to stringent safety and testing protocols.

Westwood ‘delighted’ to be host

“I’m delighted to be hosting again,” said 10-time Ryder Cup player Westwood, who has relocated to Newcastle from his native Nottinghamshire.

Lee Westwood has been the touring pro attached to Close House, since 2011

“I did it in 2017 – three years ago here at Close House – and I really enjoyed it. I learned a lot about what goes in to running a golf tournament. So it was interesting to see things from a different perspective.

“It’s a tough job and a tiring one at that. It was tough to do it that week and play golf too.

“I sort of ran out of steam towards the end, but it is going to be different this year.

“No crowds, a little less media and things like that, which will allow me to focus more time on trying to win the golf tournament this time round.

“It’s great that the Betfred British Masters is the first event to kick off the UK Swing. Betfred have been an incredible sponsor.

“They have stuck with us all through it, and they are very excited to be involved again this year.

“My preparation has gone well. The first few weeks we were in lockdown and we weren’t allowed to play golf,.

“So I had a big break from it then. But since golf courses have opened up again, and we are able to get back out on the golf course, I have played most days, probably three or four times a week.

“I have played a lot of golf of late and certainly no one will have played the golf course as much as I have.”

Kinhult would love to win Masters again

ONE man aiming to derail Westwood’s bid to lift the trophy again is defending champion Marcus Kinhult.

Marcus Kinhult interviewed on TV after his victory at Hillside in the British Betfred Masters a year ago

The Swede birdied the final two holes at Hillside Golf Club last season.

He finished one shot ahead of a group of players including 2018 champion Eddie Pepperell – who is also in the field.

Also bidding for a second British Masters title is Paul Dunne, who triumphed in style at Close House in 2017.

The Irishman produced a fantastic closing round of 61 to hold off a late charge from Rory McIlroy, and win his first European Tour title.

Close House will also witness a historic moment next week. The legendary Miguel Ángel Jiménez is set to make his 706^th European Tour appearance.

The 56-year-old Spaniard will equal Sam Torrance’s all-time record.

Wylie Foundation first to benefit from ‘Golf for Good’

THE Sir Graham Wylie Foundation has once again been appointed as the tournament’s official charity partner.

Sir Graham Wylie, the owner of Close House, will see the European Tour’s Golf for Good project support his own charitable foundation during the 2020 British Masters

Foundation patron Westwood will throw his support behind the work of founder Sir Graham Wylie, who also owns the venue.

He is one of the North East’s best-known entrepreneurs and philanthropists.

The European Tour launches its ‘Golf for Good’ initiative, which will run across the six-week UK Swing, at Close House.

A total of £500,000 will be distributed to local charities at each venue – including next week’s good cause.

The other charities will be chosen by the leading 10 players in a mini-Order of Merit, running across the UK Swing.

‘Golf for Good’ will underpin the rest of the European Tour season. It aims to give back in three key areas:–
Supporting communities where the European Tour plays
Rewarding true heroes, such as frontline workers
Promoting the many health benefits golf offers.

The 13th hole at Close House’s Westwood Colt Course, which will stage the Betfred British Masters for a second time from July 22-25.

•Westwood’s association with Close House came in 2011 when he opened the Colt Course, which will host the British Masters.

He also became the club’s touring pro.

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Tommy Fleetwood’s victory in a play-off at the Nedbank Golf Challenge earned the biggest prize so far in European Tour history – a cheque for $2.5million. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

TOMMY Fleetwood defeated Marcus Kinhult in a thrilling play-off to win his second Rolex Series title at the Nedbank Golf Challenge after coming from six shots after three eagles in his final round at Sun City.

Victory put the hero of Europe’s record Ryder Cup win at Le Paris National last year, in contention to top the Race to Dubai Rankings for the second time in three years after earning the biggest prize cheque so far in the European Tour’s history.

Fleetwood, who joined the illustrious list of Rolex Series winners at the 2017 Open de France, started the final round at the Gary Player Country Club in 12th spot.

But the Lancastrian flew up the leaderboard after three birdies and the first of an incredible three eagles before the turn.

He then eagled the 10th and the 14th – recovering from dropped shots on the 12th and 13th holes.

A final birdie of the day on the 15th saw him sign for a 12-under total leaving an agonising wait to see if his total could be matched or bettered by the leaders.

Sweden’s Kinhult started three strokes behind overnight leader Zander Lombard, and made a crucial birdie on the 15th to join Fleetwood on 12 under.

That set up a play-off for the S$2.5million first prize as neither Lombard or home favourite Louis Oosthuizen, who had led the tournament between them for three days, could sustain a title charge.

On the first extra hole, Kinhult had to play out sideways after a poor tee shot, eventually settling for bogey.

Meanwhile Fleetwood made an excellent up-and-down to save par and tapped in from three feet for the biggest winner’s prize in European Tour history.

Fleetwood made it five career wins in total, and said: “It feels good, emotional. It has been a long time coming, and I’m not one to complain.

“But I really did want to win something. You know, it’s the best. Winning is just such a good feeling.

“You know everybody puts a lot of hard work in week-in, week-out and you wait for your time to come.

“I’ve probably been impatient most of the time. But I feel happy and lucky that it’s been my time this week.

Fleetwood agreed it had been one of the best rounds of his career, adding: “I would have liked to keep a couple bogeys off the card.

“But I like the way I played, the way I hit it, felt like the way I putted, the way I handled myself emotionally, staying in the present.

“And then the play-off, bit of luck with the tee shot, chip shot probably a bit lucky and holed the putt, but it all goes together with just such an amazing day.

“It’s such a great, great thing and a feeling to be playing with a chance to win the Race to Dubai in the last event.

“Everybody starts the Tour at the start of the season to get there, and be one of the guys that can actually finish at the top is very special.”

Kinhult, who won for the first time at the Betfred British Masters at Hillside, in May, said: “I’m proud. Shot a good score today.

“Got into the play-off and made a silly bogey, but I’m happy with the week and how I played. It’s a good week.

“Losing is not all fun but Tommy deserved that. Great up-and-down. Great champion,” added the Swede, who is not starting to fulfil the promise that had him tipped for the top as an amateur.

A year ago, Kinhult finished in last place on his debut at the Nedbank.

Kinhult added: “It’s quite an improvement. I look forward to coming back next year and seeing if we can do better.

“I’m happy this week, especially how last year turned out with that last place finish. I think we’re learning every time we come here.”

The win moves Fleetwood to second place on the Race to Dubai in his bid to be named European No. 1 for the second time, following his 2017 triumph,  at next week’s season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, when the first prize will create a new record for a second week running.

Current leader – Austrian Bernd Wiesberger – finished in a share of third place alongside Belgium’s Thomas Detry and Australian Jason Scrivener, who both moved inside the top 50 on the Race to Dubai, securing their places at Jumeirah Golf Estates this week.

Defending champion Lee Westwood and home favourite Louis Oosthuizen shared sixth, while Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre took the lead again in the race for the Rookie of the Year title, finishing in eighth place alongside Lombard.

•For final results and prize money at the Nedbank Golf Challnege click here.

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