Westwood's strong finish at Augusta point to potential win

Lee Westwood, whose career features 37 worldwide victories and 22 weeks as the world’s No. 1-ranked golfer, finds himself on the other side of 40 without a major championship.

But the Englishman, who has finished in the top-three eight times in majors since 2008, doesn’t see the window closing on his opportunities to win one.

“I’ve got quite a few more chances,” said Westwood, who will be 41 on April 24 and is 0-for-63 in majors.

It wouldn’t be a surprise if his majors breakthrough happens at the Masters, where he has a superb record. In his past six starts at Augusta National Golf Club, Westwood has finished out of the top 11 only once. That was in 2009, when he was in the running after 54 holes (seven back after rounds of 70-72-70). But a final-round 79 dropped him into 43rd place.

He was second in 2010, tied for 11th in 2011, tied for third in 2012 and tied for eighth in 2013.

“I think it’s a golf course the more you play it, the more you learn little things about it. Little idiosyncrasies, like where to miss it,” Westwood said. “Obviously, with it being the only major at the same place every year, the more times you play it competitively, I think, the more you learn about it.”

Asked if he thought he had another 10 years to contend in majors, which would take him through age 50, Westwood said, “Hopefully, yeah. You’ve seen players contend and have a chance to win major championships into their 40s. Tom Watson nearly won the (British) Open a few years ago, didn’t he?”

Watson was 59 when he finished second in the 2009 British Open at Turnberry, losing in a playoff to Stewart Cink after Watson made bogey on the 72nd hole and Cink made birdie.

Westwood seemed interested to learn that eight players – Darren Clarke, Mark O’Meara, Jerry Barber, Tom Kite, Tommy Bolt, Roberto De Vicenzo, Reginald Whitcombe and Old Tom Morris – were in their 40s when they won their first major.

“Huh, that’s good,” he said.

Westwood had a great chance to win his first major in the British Open last year. He opened with 72-68-70 at Muirfield and carried a two-shot lead into the final round. But he shot 75 to finish third.

“I’m not too disappointed,” Westwood said at the time. “I don’t really get disappointed with golf anymore. I finished top-three in a major championship. I would like to have won, but you can’t not take positives from a top-three in a major.”

Since the British Open, Westwood has just one top-10 finish and he has been dropping in the world ranking. Ranked 11th the week after the 2013 Masters, Westwood was in the mid-30s in the weeks leading up to the Masters.

“I haven’t played my best golf yet,” Westwood said. “But it’s still early in the year.”

In mid-February, he made a coaching change, splitting with Sean Foley – who is best known as Tiger Woods’ instructor. He’s now working with Mike Walker.

“We’re working on a few basics,” said Westwood, whose last victory came in 2012.