World number 2 turns to his Dad for putting advice at Augusta

Lee Westwood hasn't played like the world #1 or close to it yet this year. He is without a T10 in 7 outings

The main reason is his putter and he has turned to the man who knows him best, his Dad for advice as he tries yet again to win his first major

Lee Westwood has turned to his father for help - not for the first time - as he tries to end his long wait for a first Major title.


The World Number Two is without a top-ten finish in seven starts this year and after shaking off some early rust, his putting has become the biggest concern.

Westwood, runner-up to Phil Mickelson at Augusta National a year ago and then to Louis Oosthuizen in The Open Championship, is sticking to the putter he used for the first time in coming 30th in Houston at the weekend.

He said: "It wasn't very good last week, but I spent an hour and a half on the putting green with my dad last night and sorted quite a few things out."Just basic mistakes really. It feels and looks a lot better as well and I'm getting quite confident now."I've been struggling with my alignment a little bit, so we worked on that and getting a bit closer with my eyes over the ball a little bit more"He's watched me the most over the years and the path the putter is now making is better. It's on line a little bit longer."

Having played Augusta before going on to Houston, Westwood limited himself to nine holes of practice on Monday and was planning the same on Tuesday once he got back onto a course where there had been some tree damage caused by an overnight storm.

That followed, of course, the "scary" fire on a private jet flight he took on Sunday night."I tell you on the next flight I had a very large double vodka," he added.

"It was a bit nervy for three or four minutes, but not as drama-filled as some would have you make out. You would think we were on fire and landing like Memphis Belle or something like that."We got about three or four minutes in the air and there was some smoke in the cabin, so the pilots donned the oxygen masks and turned it around fairly quickly - quicker than you would do normally - and brought it down fast."Once they got everything comfortable for them they just landed and we got the fire rescue guard of honour back to the handling agent."


The bad news for Westwood, of course, was that the one player who beat him last year won on Sunday - and he was alongside him for the first three days.

"Saturday he played as good as I've seen him play ever," said the English golfer of Mickelson's 63."Other than the chip-in through the back of six, where most people would probably make double and he made par, that was the only time he was out of position all day.
"I'm generally a pretty slow starter most years, but this year I've shot some good scores and played some good golf at times, so if it all clicks into place this week I know if I'm on my game it's good enough to win."

Bryan Angus