It has come as a surprise for many but in many ways it must have been expected with confirmation World No. 3 Lee Westwood is taking his young family to the States.
Just six months into his second as a full PGA Tour member and the Lord of Worksop is going to base himself in the USA to help better his chances of landing a first and long overdue first Major Championship title.
- Lee Westwood to take his wife and young family to live in the U.S. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)
Westwood confirmed his plans to move to the States soon after finishing joint 10th in Sunday’s concluding U.S. Open.
The very popular England born Westwood had seen his chances of lifting the gleaming U.S. Open trophy dashed by a stately Monterey pine tree on the fifth hole of the Olympic Golf Club course in San Francisco.
Despite the aid of binoculars Westwood was unable to locate his ball that meant returning to the tee to play a third shot on route to a double bogey and with it, all hope of winning the season’s second Major.
But after yet another top-10 finish in a Major, the 39-year old Westwood believes his last chance of climbing the last rung in his career ladder can be helped by crossing ‘The Pond’ and base himself in the U.S.
“There are a number of reasons, but the main one is I haven’t that much time left at the top and I want to give myself the best chance of staying there as long as I can,” said Westwood.
“I am moving to America at the end of this year because with our weather it is hard to practise when you want to practise in the UK.”
Westwood will take his wife, Laura along with 11-year-old son Sam and eight-year-old daughter Poppy with him.
Westwood confirmed he will continue to ply his trade on both Tour’s but is now desperate not to end his career without the one thing missing on his golfing CV – a Major triumph.
Last week’s U.S. Open was his 14th top-10 finish with seven of them top-3s.
It is believed the only other player in golf history to have as many as that without winning was Harry Cooper between 1925 and 1938.
Westwood was sharing third place, three strokes behind Jim Furyk, when he lost the ball in the tree.
Bizarrely, American Lee Janzen also lost a ball up a tree at the same hole in the 1998 U.S. Open but as he walked back to the tee the ball fell from the tree with Janzen then managing to salvage par and go on to claim victory.
In contrast, Westwood was unable to locate his ball despite using binoculars.
And while Westwood has confirmed a move full time to the States, he has yet to indicate where he will base his family.
