THE notion that Padraig Harrington's Open triumph last year may have removed a previously insurmountable barrier for European golfers seems to have impacted on bookmakers' odds compilers. Three from the "home" continent – and, curiously, only one American – occupy places in the top five in the betting for this week's renewal of the great championship.
This encouraging reflection of the chances of the leading European contenders, of course, is slightly distorted by the absence of Tiger Woods, who would probably have been installed a top-priced 6/4 favourite following his victory in the US Open at T
orrey Pines.
It was, however, the performance in that latest major by Woods' playing partner in the final group on the last day that will have a substantial number of investors supporting a player who is not just European, but, more specifically, English, and who was born, raised and still lives a mere 100 miles from Royal Birkdale, close enough to be regarded as a 'local'.
Lee Westwood's third place behind Woods and Rocco Mediate last month – missing a place in the play-off by a single stroke – is sound enough form to warrant serious consideration for the event he regards as "the most important the world". More significantly, it reinforced his own belief that he is equipped to handle the demands of the most rigorous occasions and land his first major at the age of 35.
"It gave me a good deal of confidence," said Westwood yesterday. "The fact that I got into contention and didn't back off and that, coming down the last fairway, I had a good chance.
"Any time you have that kind of experience in golf, with the emotions it involves, you can fall back on it in future tournaments, so I'm hoping to do that this week.
"As for Padraig opening the way for the Europeans last year, there are a lot of us playing well. But the fact that no European had won it in the eight years since Paul Lawrie at Carnoustie doesn't really surprise me. You have to remember that this is the Open golf championship. When you do as the title says and throw it open to everybody, you get the best of everywhere and the game is strong everywhere in the world now.
"People may be looking at me with more expectation after the US Open, but, so far, I'm not aware of that. I haven't spent much time here, so I don't know. I got here late last evening and hit a few balls when there was virtually nobody around. It's been a fairly low-key warm-up for me, not getting caught up in all the hype, just the way I wanted it."
Westwood is convinced that the prospects of a second successive European victory are not enhanced by the condition of the course, that its current softness, with more rain forecast for the next three days, will bring more players than normal into contention.
"I think the way the course is this year, it will bring more players into it," he said. "When a links course is bouncy and firm, it requires a more specific sort of ball control, especially spin control, where to land it and what sort of trajectory to put on it.
"When it's as soft as it is now, you can play a little more one-dimensionally. It means the course probably plays – I don't want to say easier – but a little fairer when it's soft. Actually, when you think about it, that does probably mean a fraction easier, because you tend not to get some of the odd bounces you normally associate with links golf."
Ten years ago Westwood arrived at Birkdale as joint favourite alongside Tiger Woods after winning the previous event at Loch Lomond, but after starting solidly with two rounds of 71, shot 78, 78 on the weekend to finish 62nd.
Indeed it has been the later rounds of the tournament that have been his nemesis. Only in 2004 has he kept his good work going through to the end of the tournament, when he finished fourth thanks to a 68 and 67 that left him four shots outside a playoff with Ernie Els and eventual winner Todd Hamilton. There will never be a better time for Westwood to end his own wait.
The full article contains 732 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
