Westwood: Open focus
I think I need to putt more consistently over the whole week. If I can do that this week, I'm pretty confident I'll be there or thereabouts.
Lee Westwood
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Lee Westwood is confident he can be in the big shake up at the Open come Sunday afternoon, hoping his third place at the US equivalent will help him go one further.
Westwood had a lengthy putt on the 18th at Torrey Pines that would have put him in a three-way play-off at the US Open with Rocco Mediate and eventual winner Tiger Woods.
Although he is not getting carried away with that performance, Westwood admits that it gives him great confidence to have held his nerve on the closing holes when in contention for a major.
With Woods missing the Open at Royal Birkdale this week Westwood knows he has as good a chance as anyone in the field of lifting the Claret Jug come Sunday.
"Obviously the way I played at the US Open does give me a good deal of confidence," Westwood said.
Contention
"The fact that I got into contention there and didn't back off and then coming down the last few holes had a few good chances - obviously that is something you can fall back on in future tournaments
"It is a fine line though between letting it give you confidence and not grilling yourself about having just missed out and thinking 'I could have been a major champion.'"
35-year-old Westwood says he is playing some of his best golf in years, with a distinct improvement in his short game being credited for his new-found form.
Westwood rates Birkdale, Carnoustie and Muirfield in his top three of Open venues, and hopes his big strength of straight driving will be key to success.
"I came and played it a few weeks ago - it has been a fairly low key warm-up so far and that is the way I want to keep it, not get caught up in the hype," he said.
"The course is incredibly fair. It tests most aspects of your game and if you are a good driver of the ball you can take on a few of the holes.
"It is a good driver's golf course and I consider myself a good driver of a golf ball."
Putting
With recent rain giving the course a much more lusher complexion, the hard, bouncing fairways and greens over Opens past may not been seen this week.
Westwood expects to be in the reckoning on the final day, and needs his putting to be on song if he is to go all the way.
"When it is very bouncy and firm, it requires more specific ball control in terms of spin and trajectory," he said.
"It can play a bit more one-dimensionally when it is as soft as this. It probably plays a little fairer and a fraction easier.
"I think I need to putt more consistently over the whole week. I've not really had a fantastic putting week over the four days when I have needed it. If I can do that this week, I'm pretty confident I'll be there or thereabouts."
