Outside of this year’s Open Championship, this will be the first OWGR event Westwood has played since the Asian Tour’s International Series England over two years ago, in which he withdrew.

The announcement came at a press conference in Macau yesterday, when SJM also confirmed they would extend their title sponsorship for a further two years.

Westwood won the title in 1999, a year after the event was launched, and will be bidding to claim his 10th victory in Asia.

“I am thrilled to be playing at the SJM Macao Open this October,” said the 52 year-old. “I have fond memories from my win 26 years ago. The course always brings out the best in me, and I am looking forward to performing well this year and hopefully bringing home a second Macao Open crown.”

The former World Number One beat American Andrew Pitts in a sudden-death play-off to win in Macau and also played in the event two years later. His most recent victory in Asia came at the Indonesian Masters in 2015 – an event he has won on three occasions.

The 946th OWGR player last tasted victory in 2020 at the DP World Tour’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship – Getty Images

The tournament is jointly organised by the Sports Bureau of the Macao SAR Government (MSB), SJM Resorts, S.A. (SJM) and IMG. It is co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Macau Golf Association.

Ms. See Lei, Acting Vice President of the Sports Bureau of the Macao SAR Government, said: “Since its inception in 1998, the Macao Open has grown to become a hallmark championship on the Asian Tour, and an event that has come to epitomise Macau’s capability to host major international sporting events.

“The Sports Bureau will continue its mission to advance the development of Macau’s sports culture, and to ensure that visitors from around the world who come to watch some of the world’s top golfers receive the best experiences both on and off the course. Leveraging the unique synergy between sports and tourism, we aim to attract athletes and tourists to Macau through this sporting platform, and to bolster Macau’s reputation as a global centre of tourism and leisure.”

Ms. Daisy Ho, Managing Director of SJM, added: “SJM has long been a dedicated supporter of both national and local sports development, and we remain firmly committed to advancing the integration of ‘Sports + Tourism’ in Macau.

“In 2023, we proudly assumed the title sponsorship of the Macao Open, supporting its revival through a three-year partnership. Over the past two editions, we have worked closely with the Sports Bureau of the Macao SAR Government, IMG, the Asian Tour, and the Macau Golf Association to elevate the tournament and bring new vitality. Today, we are pleased to announce that, building on this strong foundation, we will be extending our collaboration for two further additions, continuing our shared efforts to support the long-term development of golf in Macau.”

Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO of the Asian Tour, added: “The SJM Macao Open is one of the premier events on the Asian Tour – boasting an outstanding reputation. The tournament was launched in the late 1990s and has been ever present on our schedule since. Our relationship is now set to continue further following today’s wonderful news that SJM has extended the partnership for two more years. We are truly grateful to them, the Sports Bureau of the Macao SAR Government, Macau Golf Association, IMG, and all the event partners.”

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The post Lee Westwood confirmed to play in tournament he won over 25 years ago appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

MORE: Rory’s caddie, Harry Diamond, gives rare live TV interview

That’s because LIV Golf released a video of the former World No. 1 recalling winners of the Claret Jug going back in time. And he nearly made it all the way to his birth year of 1973.

Have a look at this jaw-dropping display of (golf) memory:

This is mind blowing @WestwoodLee #TheOpen @MajesticksGC pic.twitter.com/HodSRpS0Yn

— LIV Golf (@livgolf_league) July 15, 2025

That is truly impressive stuff. As you can see, Westy was finally tripped up by 1976, guessing Gary Player instead of winner Johnny Miller. And somewhere, Johnny will probably take that as a huge slight.

Anyway, good luck to Lee at Royal Portrush this week. And if he misses the cut, he could always stick around the clubhouse performing this neat party trick.

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The post Lee Westwood’s Open Championship knowledge will blow your mind appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

It’s been quite some time since we’ve seen Lee Westwood compete in a major championship. Had he missed out on the Open Championship later this month, it would have been three full years since he competed in one.

But Westwood’s major drought never made it that far, the former World No. 1 earning a spot at Royal Portrush via Final Qualifying on Tuesday at Dundonald Links in Scotland. Westwood, who has just one top- 10 finish on the LIV Tour in 2025, shot rounds of 70 and 67, a seven under total that was the lowest of anyone in the 68-player field.

Lee Westwood will be at Royal Portrush after posting -7 in Open Final Qualifying at Dundonald.

A different class today. pic.twitter.com/kqlnjK9mOq

— John Turnbull (@JohnTurnbull03) July 1, 2025

Westwood claimed one of the five spots up for grabs at the Dundonald site. When he tees it up at Royal Portrush later this month, it will be his first start in a major championship since the 2022 Open Championship at St. Andrews, where the now 52-year-old Englishman tied for 34th. Three years earlier, the last time they Open was at Portrush, Westwood tied for fourth with Brooks Koepka.

RELATED: Here’s every player in the field (so far) at Royal Portrush

“I’ve always said it’s the greatest championship in golf and as a British player you get phenomenal support,” Westwood told reporters on hand after the round. “I really enjoyed Portrush last time. I finished fourth and played nicely. I’m just looking forward to enjoying the week at Portrush. Seeing a few old friends and enjoying that golf course. For me, it’s in the top three links courses in the British Isles.”

Making Westwood’s improbable day even more impressive was that he had come straight from LIV Dallas, arriving to Scotland at 7:30 p.m. on Monday evening. His result at Maridoe—a T-25—certainly didn’t indicate something this special was coming, either.

But Westwood is happy it did, telling Bunkered.com’s John Turnbull how much he’s missed playing in the big four over the last few years.

“I think if you play golf to a high level, the major championships are the ones you want to play,” he said.

“They are the biggest tournaments. It’s always nice to test yourself on the toughest golf courses against the best players.”

RELATED: LIV golfer DQ’d from Open qualifying after walking off course

Another LIV golfer, Lucas Herbert, earned one of the five spots available at the West Lancashire qualifer with an eight-under total, also the lowest of anyone in the field. Herbert, who has yet to pick up an individual win on LIV but does have a PGA Tour victory, has only played in one of the last seven major championships (T-43, 2024 PGA). This will be his fifth career Open start. The 29-year-old Aussie has two missed cuts while notching T-51 and a T-15 in his prior four appearances.

England’s Harry Hall finished T-2 at eight under at Burnham and Berrow to advance. Hall shot consecutive rounds of 67 with a local caddie on his bag, to earn a trip to the Open Championship for the first time in his career.

At Royal Clinque Ports, LIV’s Dean Burmester finished four clear in the top spot at 10 under, and the South African will play in his fourth Open. He’s gone T-11, T-19 in his last two.

Main image: Ross Parker/R&A

The post The Open 2025: Lee Westwood secures spot in his first major since 2022 at Final Qualifying appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

In a recent episode of The Bunkered Podcast, Westwood criticized the rumours about a proposal to split US $4 million amongst the 12 players selected. Traditionally, this money goes to charity, but under the new plan, it would be paid directly into the players’ bank accounts.

European players like Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose have voiced their opposition to the idea, with which 51-year-old Westwood agrees in.

Lee Westwood and Darren Clarke. Jamie Squire

“The Ryder Cup is a huge money-making machine for people now and different organisations, but to my mind, the players shouldn’t be paid to play,” said Westwood. “You’ve had a successful year. Yeah, maybe make a donation to the players’ charities. That would be nice. But certainly not paying the players.

“I’ve teed it up in 11 Ryder Cups and not once have I ever thought I should be getting paid to do this. You’re playing for the honor of representing Europe in my case, and I would think the United States in the Americans’ case.

“When you just tee it up and you’re not playing for anything, that’s when you get real drama. You see what people are really made of when they’re representing a lot of people, not just themselves.”

Since Westwood and his Majesticks teammate Ian Poulter joined LIV Golf and gave up their DP World Tour memberships, their chances of becoming European Ryder Cup captains in the future have all but disappeared.

“They’re dwindling all the time,” he said. “We’re not members of the European Tour and that’s one of the rules—that you have to be a member. So it’s impossible, and once you understand that, there’s not really any point in talking or thinking about it too much. You’re trying to achieve the unachievable.”

Main Image: Asian Tour

The post LIV Golf’s Lee Westwood has his say on the Ryder Cup “pay to play” plan appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

“I don’t know what to expect,” the Majesticks GC co-captain said. “I’m a rookie, aren’t I? Turning up, seeing what it’s all about.”

Westwood is one of 52 players in the field at Newport Country Club playing their first U.S. Senior Open. Also in the group is Cleeks GC’s Richard Bland, who made his senior debut last month by winning the Senior PGA Championship.

Of course, Westwood would love to make a similar successful debut as his fellow Englishman. Given that he comes off his best LIV Golf result – a tie for third at LIV Golf Nashville in which he shot rounds of 69-66-66 to finish at 12 under – he’s now trending up after a 2024 season in which he has struggled for results.

“I started to swing well, and my whole game was coming together when I played at LIV Houston three weeks ago,” Westwood said during a Tuesday press conference in Rhode Island. “Then I went home and did a little bit of work on it. I probably haven’t been working as hard on my game as I would have liked to, but I put in a bit more work in the week off.

“I went to Nashville and carried on really with that theme, those swing thoughts. Putted well last week. I sharpened my short game up because I’ve been playing more, and my game is in a really good place. … Played well on the final day, which was good. I haven’t been finishing tournaments off, so fun for the last four holes and finish that tournament off strongly has given me a lot of confidence going into this week.”

Westwood turned 50 in April of last year. He looked into playing some of the senior majors in which he had eligibility but could not fit it into his schedule, which included the 14 tournaments of LIV Golf’s first full league season.

He’s glad it worked out this week, and he hopes moving forward to participate in more.

“The consensus of opinion of everybody that I talked to said it’s great to see myself and Richard playing here,” Westwood said. “I think, when you look at the U.S. Open two weeks ago or the Masters or the PGA Championship, people are happy to see Bryson [DeChambeau] or Cam [Smith] or Jon Rahm coming and playing in those big events.

“It’s basically getting all the best players together in one tournament to compete against each other, and that’s what you want at the highest level. You want all the best players there.”

He said it’s especially important for the fans who have made connections with the familiar names competing at the senior level.

“The Champions Tour for me is important because people have watched myself play and other guys out here play for the last 30, 40 years, and they build relationships with those players and they’ve seen us grow as players and people,” Westwood said

“Yes, people want to see the youngsters, the new guys on the block coming through and contending, but they also want to see the guys they’ve made a bond with over the last 30, 40 years. Because, from what I’ve seen, watching a bit of the tournament last week, Padraig [Harrington] is still playing some great golf and it’s entertaining. At the end of the day, we’re in the entertainment industry.

“It’s nice that the USGA and PGA of America and the R&A are trying to find a way to get everybody together more often.”

Renewing acquaintances with old rivals is also a benefit. Westwood is paired with Spain’s Miguel Ángel Jiménez and American Jerry Kelly for the first two rounds. Each of his playing partners have won two senior majors and more than 10 senior tournaments.

Meanwhile, he’s run into other people whom he hasn’t seen since his amateur days.

“I recognized some faces, and then they introduced themselves, and I’m like, wow, yeah, it’s been 35 years,” Westwood said. “It’s been nice. I’ve enjoyed it.”

Image: LIV Golf

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Thailand’s Sarit Suwannarut fired an opening five-under-par 66 to take the lead in the Asian Tour’s International Series England at Close House, near Newcastle, as some of LIV Golf’s big names lurked near the top of the leaderboard.

He fired six birdies and one bogey in nasty conditions on the Colt Course, to finish the day one in front of American Liv-er Jason Kokrak and Jaewoong Eom from Korea.

Germany’s Dominic Foos and Suradit Yongcharoenchai from Thailand returned 68s, while LIV Golf and Ryder Cup star Ian Poulter was in group of 10 players on 69.

Sarit played a practice round here with countryman Pavit Tangkamolprasert before last year’s England event, which was played at a different venue, and said: “Maybe that helped a little bit today, there was more rain that time.”

He started on the back nine on Thursday, and birdied 10, and 14 before a brilliant two on the 18th — a difficult 185-yard par-three, that could be the scene of much drama come Sunday. He dropped a shot on the second, but recovered with gains on three, six and eight.

“I have been hitting it really well,” he said. “Today was just about the putting, it is all about the putting. Still need to fix my long putting, I might practice that.”

Sarit triumphed for the first time on the Asian Tour last year, at the season-ending Indonesian Masters, but has struggled this year, until a top-10 finish in the Indonesia Open two weeks ago.

“I had an injury at the beginning of the year, at first it was a back injury, then I got sick, I got Covid, I also had neck and wrist problems,” said the 25-year-old, who was also laid low by Covid last year.

“I took a lot of time off to repair my body, to not get into trouble with injury again, I think that’s worked.”

Kokrak, a three-time winner on the PGA Tour including two in 2021, finished strongly with birdies on 16 and 17.

“Very happy with that,” said the 38-year-old. “I thought I was going along well but not really making any putts. I was hitting it well but thought I should be more under par. Made a couple there at the end, happy with it.

“The course is wet and super long. I would love to see this place really bouncy.”

Ian Poulter. Asian Tour

Englishman Poulter was happy to get in the clubhouse among the leaders after a rough second half.

“Damage limitation,” said Poulter. “Obviously, three-under through nine and cruising but bogeyed the first hole which is my 10th, a par five, is suicide, frustrating to do that. I shanked it down four which is not ideal, nearly made par, and had another bogey on the par three with a pulled eight iron, I was in the middle of the fairway there. Dropping three shots on that nine was poor.”

His son, Luke, an amateur, started well with a 72 although made costly mistakes with the short stick.

Poulter Sr said: “He’s one over, he had four three putts. He will probably slap himself around the head, so he has obviously played good golf, and he has not done his job on the putting green. He is a good golfer, and great he is in the field this week.”

His compatriot, fellow LIV Golfer and playing partner Lee Westwood, who is the Touring Professional for Close House, also looked set to be among the front runners but made a double on his third from last hole and came in with a 70.

American Andy Ogletree, who currently leads the Asian Tour and International Series Order of Merits, signed for a 72, while Thailand’s Nitithorn Thippong, who claimed the Mandiri Indonesia Open two weeks ago, shot 73.

The post Sarit’s super 66 secures first-round lead In International Series England as LIV Golf’s top guns lurk appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

If you scroll down to the tee times below you may see a duplication of two of England’s most famous golfing surnames.

Nope, it’s not a typo.

I guess it shows that time flies when you are having fun as both Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood will welcome their sons to the field for the Asian Tour’s International Series event at Close House, just outside Newcastle this week.

Luke and Ian Poulter. Stuart Franklin

Having both caddied for their dads at previous events, Luke Poulter and Sam Westwood are now both in the 156-strong field in their own right contending for the $2 million prize money.

There will be 2 Poulter’s in the field for the @intseriesgolf at @CloseHouseGolf this week, excited to experience it with Luke

Grab your tickets now: https://t.co/p9hPUCcETu pic.twitter.com/zw9B69TwBI

— Ian Poulter (@IanJamesPoulter) August 14, 2023

Last year, the senior Poulter spoke to Golf Monthly about Luke’s chances on tour. “I’m holding him off at the moment, but it will happen one day,” he said. “When he does win I know his celebrations will match anything you’ve ever seen from me. And I will plaster it all over social media, because I’ll be more proud than disappointed.”

The Westwoods have previously played in the same tournament — the 2022 Indonesian Masters, when Westwood Jr made his debut as a professional. “He started playing the game very late,” Westwood told Golf Monthly of his son. “He only took up the game seriously at age 16 and he is 21 now. I don’t really have any expectations for him this week. I just want him to enjoy himself.”

Excited to tee it up at @CloseHouseGolf with Sam this week for the @intseriesgolf eventhttps://t.co/05m2ciKXOd pic.twitter.com/TTF6MNZy0X

— Lee Westwood (@WestwoodLee) August 14, 2023

However, if the Englishmen want to make history and make it a family affair in the same group, first they will have to make the cut as, while the dads are paired together for Rounds 1 and 2, the young guns have been split across the field.

Oh, if that wasn’t enough, a youngster named Davis ‘Dru’ Love IV is also in the line-up. Yep, that will be the son of 1997 PGA champ Davis Love III.

Maybe a glimpse of the next generation is on the cards at Close House…

International Series England Tee times and pairings
Thursday
Hole 1
7.00 Kyson Lloyd, Runchanapong Youprayong, AJ Batty
7.10 Shahriffuddin Ariffin, Natipong Srithong, Luke Joy
7.20 James Wilson, Taewoo Kim #1468, Settee Prakongvech
7.30 Rattanon Wannasrichan, Micah Lauren Shin, Yikeun Chang
7.40 Denwit Boriboonsub, Luke Poulter (a), Angelo Que
7.50 Prom Meesawat, Ben Campbell, Sam Westwood
8.00 Jbe Kruger, Tom Power-Horan, Michael Maguire
8.10 Andrew Dodt, Trevor Simsby Chikkarangappa S
8.20 Hung Chien-yao, SSP Chawrasia, Poom Saksansin
8.30 Pawin Ingkhapradit, Ajeetesh Sandhu, Kyongjun Moon
8.40 Siddikur Rahman, Jaco Ahlers, Bjorn Hellgren
8.50 Josh Younger, Seungtaek Lee, Carlos Bustos
9.00 Alex Ching, Dominic Foos, Lloyd Jefferson Go

Hole 10
7.00 David Puig, Pavit Tangkamolprasert, Taehee Lee
7.10 Abraham Ancer, Chan Shih-chang, Brendan Steele
7.20 Hideto Tanihara, Sarit Suwannarut, Matt Jones
7.30 Ian Poulter, Nitithorn Thippong, Lee Westwood
7.40 Eugenio Chacarra, Steve Lewton, Scott Hend
7.50 Hudson Swafford, Travis Smyth, Peter Uihlein
8.00 James Piot, Chase Koepka, Tomoharu Otsuki
8.10 Simon Robinson, Chanat Sakulpolphaisan, Kartik Sharma
8.20 Danthai Boonma, Honey Baisoya, Ian Snyman
8.30 Gunn Charoenkul, Richard T Lee, John Lyras
8.40 Kevin Yuan, Lee Chieh-po, Bai Zhengkai
8.50 Jack Murdoch, Nicolas Paez, Faisal Salhab
9.00 Will Marshall, Jean Bekirian, Rory Franssen

Hole 1
12.00 Chanmin Jung, Taichi Kho, Jediah Morgan
12.10 Miguel Tabuena, Andy Ogletree, Wade Ormsby
12.20 Richard Bland, Sadom Kaewkanjana, Graeme McDowell
12.30 Anirban Lahiri, Phachara Khongwatmai, Jason Kokrak
12.40 Sebastian Munoz, Kieran Vincent, Dean Burmester
12.50 Pat Perez, Danny Lee, Sihwan Kim
13.00 Brendan Jones, Jaewoong Eom, Shiv Kapur
13.10 Chonlatit Chuenboonngam, Jack Harrison, Davis Love IV
13.20 Ben Jones, Nicholas Fung, Suradit Yongcharoenchai
13.30 Itthipat Buranatanyarat, Viraj Madappa, Yongjun Bae
13.40 Jyoti Randhawa, Jack Thompson, Nick Voke
13.50 Rhys Thompson, Chen Guxin, Matt Sharpstene
14.00 Terry Pilkadaris, Suteepat Prateeptienchai, Matthew Cheung

Hole 10
12.00 Naraajie Ramadhanputra, Meenwhee Kim, Saud Al Sharif
12.10 MJ Viljoen, Marcus Fraser, Othman Almulla
12.20 Turk Pettit, Jeev Milkha Singh, Neil Schietekat
12.30 Mardan Mamat, David Drysdale, Veer Ahlawat
12.40 Chapchai Nirat, Rahil Gangjee, Matt Killen
12.50 Miguel Carballo, Yoseop Seo, Zach Murray
13.00 Berry Henson, Tirawat Kaewsiribandit, Ben Leong
13.10 Jarin Todd, Gaganjeet Bhullar, Atiruj Winaicharoenchai
13.20 Todd Sinnott, Chang Wei-lun, Kosuke Hamamoto
13.30 Dodge Kemmer, Wang Wei-hsuan, Rashid Khan
13.40 Douglas Klein, Khalin Joshi, David Hague
13.50 Harrison Gilbert-Wong, Shergo Al Kurdi, Karandeep Kochhar
14.00 Laird Shepherd, Ye Wocheng, Sangpil Yoon

The post Bring your son to work day? Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood to tee up alongside sons Luke and Sam at International Series England appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

On Monday morning, a pair of English tour pros, Lee Westwood and Eddie Pepperell, got into a testy Twitter spat over LIV with Pepperell eventually pointing out that Westwood got paid £100,000 last week for “playing like a turnip.” Here’s how it went down.

First, Westwood chimed in on the latest edition of the Official World Golf Ranking, which still doesn’t recognise LIV events because they don’t meet the ranking system’s requirements:

#OWGR update after week #32

1Scottie
2Rory
3Rahm
4Cantlay
5Viktor
6Xander
7Homa
8Harman
9CamS
10Fitz
11Clark
12Spieth
13BK
14Hatton
15Tommy
16Keegan
17Young
18TomKim
19Finau
20Collin
27Im
29Henley
30Glover
32Rose
36Sahith
43Schenk
45Moore
49CamDavis
57Hadwin
99Tosti

— Nosferatu (@VC606) August 14, 2023

That’s when Pepperell, never one to shy from Twitter spats, jumped in with his first jab:

I’ll tell you what’s a joke Lee; you earning 3X the average annual UK salary in one week for shooting +20 over 3 rounds.

— Eddie Pepperell (@PepperellEddie) August 14, 2023

Westwood responded by pointing out the PGA Tour has added some new ways to get more money in its players’ pockets as well. To which Pepperell responded with the “turnip” dig:

It’s all laughable. From you earning £100k last week for playing like a turnip to the TGL/PIP.

Pro golf has degraded itself to being just about the money. Maybe it always has been and I’m just naive, but it isn’t doing much to improve the sport and genuinely ‘grow the game’.

— Eddie Pepperell (@PepperellEddie) August 14, 2023

But it wasn’t over. The two exchanged a few more jabs, including Pepperell claiming pro golf would be in a better place if players like Westwood hadn’t jumped to LIV Golf and getting a “Mean Girls” line in there.

Not from the top I’m not!

But pretty sure professional golf would be in a better spot if a few of you stuck instead of twisted.

But money and all that… sure is alluring whatever the implications for the sport.

You go Glen Coco.

— Eddie Pepperell (@PepperellEddie) August 14, 2023

Westwood eventually hit Pepperell with a classic Simpsons GIF:

@PepperellEddie pic.twitter.com/ZfDz4gWeG1

— Lee Westwood (@WestwoodLee) August 14, 2023

And Eddie seemed to agree that he shouldn’t have said anything.

As Ricky Gervais would say; “I should’ve left it”

— Eddie Pepperell (@PepperellEddie) August 14, 2023

Anyway, should make for an awkward moment the next time these two are paired together, whatever the tour. Unless they keep the conversation to pop culture references.

The post Lee Westwood, Eddie Pepperell get into testy Twitter spat appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Nestled in the countryside in the northeast of England is a true gem of a course — Close House, the venue for the fifth stop on the Asian Tour’s International Series. The $2 million tournament will be played from August 17-20, with a strong field including Lee Westwood looking to emulate Scott Vincent’s triumph in this event last year just down the road at Slaley Hall. 

Situated just outside Newcastle on the banks of the River Tyne, Close House’s Colt Course was opened in 2011 by then world No. 1 Lee Westwood (he is the club’s Attached Touring Professional) and it will be used for the International Series event. 

The Scott Macpherson-designed track is a par-71 layout that measures just under 7,000 yards and incorporates historical features, including sunken ha-ha walls and ancient woodland. It is one of two courses at Close House, with the other being the Lee Westwood Filly course. It features plenty of undulations to provide challenging uphill and downhill lies, while also testing players’ fitness levels. “I am sure that the players will relish the challenge of the Lee Westwood Colt Course along with enjoying a very warm welcome from the members and guests,” said Close House owner, Sir Graham Wylie.

The post Close House set to host some stellar International guests  appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Lee Westwood began his star-studded career back in 1993 and the former world No. 1 has 44 tour wins and an incredible 11 Ryder Cups under his belt. Following his move to LIV Golf to captain the Majesticks team alongside fellow Team Europe legends Ian Poulter and Henrik Stenson, the Englishman is now preparing for an event and venue close to his heart. 

The Englishman is returning to Close House — the club where he is the Attached Tour Professional — to compete in the Asian Tour International Series England event, where he will be lining up against a stellar field that includes 2018 Masters champion Patrick Reed, 2010 US Open winner Graeme McDowell and this year’s PIF Saudi International victor Abraham Ancer, plus some of Asia’s most promising talent like Gunn Charoenkul, Chonalatit Chuenboonngam, Sadom Kaewkanjan and Phachara Khongwatmai.

Following a globe-trotting career spanning four decades, Westwood is relishing teeing it up close to his home just outside Newcastle in the north-east of England. 

“I think it’s an area of the country that doesn’t get much world-class golf,” he exclusively told Golf Digest Middle East “Obviously, we had the British Masters, and they played the International Series at Slaley last year but it’s nice to see a tournament coming to Close House. 

“They’ll get a great field, a lot of world-class players that everybody will know and recognise. I expect it to be a good turnout and the fans will love it. It’s in August, mid-summer, the course will be in great condition and nice weather hopefully.”

Despite having played the Colt Course at Close House several times, Westwood knows he and the rest of the field are in for a challenge. 

“The elevation changes are tricky at Close House, there are a lot of shots uphill and downhill with big elevation changes so clubbing becomes more difficult,” he said. “The greens have got some severe slopes on them as well in certain places, that’s another defence of the golf course. It can get breezy up here as well.”

The International Series was launched last year through a historic investment by LIV Golf that created a premier level of events to develop the next generation of stars and offer pathways to top competition in the LIV Golf League. 

At the end of the 2023 10-event season, the player in the No. 1 position will book a spot in the lucrative 2024 LIV Golf League, while the next 31 will secure entry into the LIV Golf Promotions Event to vie for three further places up for grabs.

“I like it [the International Series],” Westwood said. “I think it gives people an opportunity to play their way onto LIV. It’s 10 events, there’s an Order of Merit from them and if you play well, you get a chance to play on LIV which is very lucrative. We’ve seen Asian Tour players like Andy Ogletree play well in The International Series events and then come out and play well on LIV when he’s had an opportunity. He stood in for me in Tulsa and shot 62, eight-under, and then again he stood in for Paul Casey and I think he ended up finishing top 10. It shows the strength of the players playing the International Series and on the Asian Tour.”

With a career that goes back all the way to the early 1990s, Westwood knows he is not getting any younger at 50, and these days he is just enjoying his time on the course and reflecting on highlights like his 2009 victory in Dubai that propelled him to the No. 1 spot in the world, and his most recent title at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship in 2020.

“My goals are just to keep enjoying playing and enjoying playing on LIV,” he said. “I’m having a great time out there it has given me a second lease of life. After 30 years of playing tournament golf all being kind of the same tournaments, LIV is very different and I’m enjoying the change.”

He can also enjoy some home comforts when the International Series comes to town.

The post A ‘homecoming’ for Westwood as International Series heads for Close House appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.