EP128 - LEE WESTWOOD

Welcome back to the rickshaws golf show podcast everybody i'm your host rick shields i'm here with co-host on episode 128 and we've got a special guest it's taking 128 episodes for you to interview me thanks well every time every time i've asked you just straight out decline and i've needed you i'm ready i've needed to literally come to your home here at close house not your actual technical home but your golfing home to sit down and have a podcast with lee westwood let's see if it was worth it high expectations now well thanks. For coming on how are you good you know very well yeah you having a good year yeah not bad yeah enjoying life you've just been talking about football yeah how are you getting very excited about knott's forest consuming my life at the moment watching forest are you right sue is that like your real sporting passion outside of golf yeah if i hadn't been a golfer i would have played on the left wing. For forrest i think yeah were you good at football growing up it was all right really you're not bad. And was there ever a point where it was like you had to make a decision whether you like. Or was golf just the obvious one golf was the obvious one. But i played all sports when i was growing up. So um golf didn't mix well with football running rugby really you've played that many yeah many other kind of i feel like there's a lot of golfers that either get into like hockey. Or cricket with anything you got into tennis no no there's not much tennis in workshop i was not across country champions i was a pretty good runner really yeah well run. For uh workshop areas no way um. And then.

When i was when i was about nine that was. And then.

Golf kicked in did you start quite early golf uh no not really i was about 12 13 years of age wow. And i got good quickly when the county challenged about 14 and then.

From kind of that age that year started getting recognized on nationally and got picked for england i was about 16 15 16 played at nan my first home internationals. And then.

That was when i kind of really just decided to play golf i figured if i was in the best 12 boys in the country then.

You know i got a chance of making it professionally at some level you were doing all right yeah i do know it you've had an incredible career first ever open championship in 1996. five ninety-five it was obviously you know andrews i should have known this you know worry i'll i'll pick you up on any uh wrong phones like when you look back at your career now like what what's your what's your thoughts of it all because it's been obviously 27 [Music] you're actually getting further away you said 96.95 you said 27 when it's 29. well you get what i mean yeah do you want to look at your notes no it's not going to cannot tell. So like when you look back at it now what did what do you think of it all um i think i've been lucky to do something that i love. For so long yeah. And do it well yeah take me to a lot of nice places i met a lot of great people um not not something you expect when you first you know start practicing hitting balls up at work some golf club on the range yeah um playing with your mates it's kind of not a path that you envisage super consistent as well over a long time like i started playing in 96 97. And obviously you were out then..

And and today.

You're still like performing competing at that super elite level there's not many other people i can think of that have done that. For that long no i think you're right um you know there's a handful probably um i don't know why i love the game obviously um you know i've always had somebody somebody said to me it's not about the destination it's about the journey. And i've always loved the journey in the game of golf you know i've loved going. And practicing you know i've loved the traveling you know i've loved the competitiveness i've loved challenging myself all the time yeah seeing. And now you know i'm in that area where i maybe don't practice as much as i used to eating balls i just i practice on other things that i know are going to make me play well. So it's kind of a different branch off to the journey so you know a lot do a lot more gym work now. And flexibility work and psychological work um and sort of view golf differently now and i'm not i'm not so consumed with the outcome anymore yeah because because you enjoy the journey. So much yeah. But i say it's just a dif slightly different journey yeah. And i know if i kind of dedicate myself to the journey and do do that properly i know that i'm still good enough to compete in certain tournaments that is that is staggering. And what what still gives you the motivation what drives you what gets what gets lee westwood every single week on week or every tournament on tournament to put your most effort into it um well i i enjoy it first and foremost you know i love going. And hitting balls and i love practicing with short game and putting i like challenging myself all the time i think uh you know it's you're never satisfied in golf are you you can never complete it that's the thing no you never i mean i've shot 60. And i've always thought you know and i sat down after that round i thought could have been one of two bear yeah it's happening crazy that's it what like there is no you never master it do you well unless you can quite literally go around in 18 shots yeah which which is physically pretty impossible yeah you can't master it it's even 18 under you think we'll add our eagle the par fives you know it's absolutely mr put somewhere there's going to be a not perfect shot somewhere along the line does that change that when you win a tournament you're never thinking i won by three i should have won by five are you just happy just to get that win. Or have you ever won and still thought i could have even done better no i don't think you think about wins like that yeah um you know you're always pleased to have won a golf tournament whether it be in a playoff. Or by eight nine yeah. And wins come in all different shapes and sizes don't they you know i've come from six or seven shots back in the final round and i've had five or six shot leads so you know that is a challenge in itself to mentally get your head around those kind of situations what would you prefer to be in if you if if you had an option would you rather be three ahead on the final round. Or three back i would rather be three ahead you know you've got as long as you get you i've always thought when you three i'd go out and try and shoot the lowest score of the day from anybody in the field you can't do that you can't be beaten yeah exactly you know it's. And i think that comes with experience you know i've had big leads. And lost them and i've had big leads and and won and you know you learn through those experiences the the right mentality and mindset to have when you go out what is your single career highlight what's the best thing if you if you could give it one thing what's been the best thing that's happened to you in your career well i think becoming world number one you're investing in the world you can sit down in a room like this. And look out into the world and realize there's a lot of people play the game of golf and there's nobody better than you that's that's it's weird to think about it like that. And it's and it it creeps up on you at different times as well i could be walking through the supermarket and i'll think best girlfriend that guy that's buying today's golfer i'm better than you i've got the stats to prove it yeah. But that's crazy because obviously did it did it give you like a huge level of confidence when you're even at events i think you know yes i mean when i became world number one i went out in the tournaments after that. And i finished like second and one one and third and kind of reinforced that you know i had the consistency that would take me to world number one even when i became well number one now the interesting thing comes when you do reach the top the pinnacle you look down you think all these people are after my spot now. So it brings its added challenges of course um you know there's one thing getting there but then.

There's another thing staying there and having everybody try and take your spot what do you think at the moment with the kind of story with like scotty becoming world number one in a ridiculous short period of time well i mean he's had an incredible run when you look back he was their weakest player at the last ryder cup yeah well when he got picked it was like you know really he's no experience. And you'll know about me i can't remember how he did in the ryder cup. But obviously the team did well. But yeah. And then.

And start this year just gone on this incredible run and do you think again it's that mindset of as soon as obviously you win. And you win a couple and you become world number one like you go into the next.

Event think well how can i be how can i be how can i be beaten almost it gives you an added confidence. And one thing it does do as shown is that the world rankings are accurate yeah you know a lot of people question the world rankings i've never questioned them because i know how hard it is to get to the top of them. And he's gone on a phenomenal run won tournaments and has been rewarded by getting to world number one he's done it quickly yeah really. So it's not like i guess they are volatile when you look at them like that when you can get to be the best in the world. So quickly but they don't lie because they're over a two-year period so you've got to play consistently well and when you win huge events against incredible fields guess what you're going to shoot that world ranking you're beating the best players regularly aren't you in the biggest tournaments well one thing we were saying in our last episode of the podcast is that like certainly. For this open coming up now there's so many players who you wouldn't be surprised if they won there's such a strong field out there has is this one of the strongest kind of fields you've ever seen you think in your career also been periods where there's been loads of guys that could win it feels like at the moment there's. So many names like dustin johnson obviously scotty sheffler you know john ram spieth etc go on loads of guys i don't look at it like that now i think that you know there's been strength in depth. For the last 25 years you know certainly since tiger came on the scene he's elevated everybody's level of play and made everybody more professional and that in turn has made strength of fields deeper you know everybody nobody leaves anything to chance anymore since he came on the scene so you know professional golfers are more rounded yeah. And uh you know they tick more boxes now well they need to be otherwise they're going to fall back one thing about the the open championship sent andrews gives everybody a chance you know it's not a bomber's golf course although length is always an advantage on any golf course if you hit it straight. But you look at winners around there you've got big hitters back in you know jack's day jack was a big hitter tiger john daly. And then.

You've got that johnson likes to zach johnson louie's not sure but he isn't one of one of the sort of bombers he's more of a he's i guess he's more aesthetically pleased and then.

He does everything nicely yeah exactly um you know different players have played i think back to faldo winning there yeah not the longest. But people in contention with greg norman and payne stewart i think ian baker finch was up there. So it does it it does suit everybody really are you looking forward to it this year yeah i am um i always look forward to the open championship. And i always look forward to ones that sent andrews just a little bit more they just seem to encapsulate the open championship when it's when it's at saint andrews just like it's just like a magical atmosphere i feel like obviously we just talked about before record-breaking crowds there this year i was up there just this week. And the grandstands are going off. And it just feels so exciting and a lot of the players we spoke to a lot of people who are going it just feels a bit different this year whether it's the because it is the 150th whether it is because it's kind of there's. So many big names as we just mentioned kind of playing really well and obviously tiger saying he's committing to it and things like that it just feels like it's got an error that's that's way bigger than what i've experienced before but i might be wrong have you known an open championship in kind of your career that's felt bigger than this i haven't really noticed it so i would have to say no you know i try. And treat all tournaments the same um it's but like i said before the open championship just always feel a little bit more special when it's when it's at saint andrews um. But i don't get that feeling i think you know media. And people like that are building it up because it's the 150th. And it's a story for i mean you've got nothing else to write about in golf at the moment might as well big the open up this year [Laughter] absolutely nothing at all to talk about um yeah i think uh again probably you're probably not far wrong like i think i feel like super excited about it like say we're working in the media business when you're going as a fan as well though like i loved carnoustie obviously if you guys play it's an amazing golf course as a fan it's kind of quite secluded on its own when you know you go into that town the hustle. And the bustle of the whole the weeks like festivities are such i'm excited. For that you don't think kova's done that though you know everybody had two years later you know restrictions. And not being able to go to sporting events and you know had that taken away and now everybody's kind of been let off the lead and uh you know they're appreciating being able to do stuff like that more. So you know it certainly felt like that the masters you got a bit of sense of that as well like everyone was like well this is yeah this is big. And basically yeah exactly i think going back to your point a minute ago about these players. And and everyone looking stronger it's probably again exactly what you mentioned because the gulf media and golf and sky and golf channel everything else makes such a big deal about who's going to win the next.

Major like you you could analyze it till you know death is going through the top 100 100 players to say he'll win they'll win this one where i feel like probably 30 years ago that wasn't the case because social media obviously wasn't as big. And it wasn't as analyzed as such i mean you've got more stats now. And units yeah everything's. So analytical that uh yeah it's it's just broken down are you quite analytical to pay a certain amount of attention to stats. But they can lie a lot of the time depends how you interpret them really what are the ones that you focus on mainly the score scoring winning checks yeah yeah the bank balance um when you look at like greens in regulation you could be an aggressive player you know the professional game now they put pins on three yards from the edge if you hit it on the fringe three yards from the. Or three three yards and a couple of inches from the hole and it's a miss green it's a miss green but you you know it's better than being 40 45 feet yeah front edge you're starting to yeah of course. And then.

It and then.

That skews you're putting starts don't it yes of course because because if you if you two put it goes down as a one put yeah. But you know was it a better two put from 45 feet away. Or so i i pay a little bit of attention to him i do i look at the strokes gained on certain things at the end of the week just because that's a good indication of how you played. Or you know how your putting's been but i don't i don't go into into the depth of some of the lads that go into it i've always played golf on on feel a lot and i know which parts of the game let me down that's the way i've always felt like i've swung the golf club as well you know i look i've always looked at it on i mean i don't know who doesn't. But i've always looked on video camera and thought i don't like the way i'm swinging it there or you know that looks wrong i need to work on that um i've never looked it looked it and thought oh yeah that's perfect i guess that sums up i think everyone's also hyper critical of themselves. And their techniques a lot of the time as well do you feel like you've got a really strong kind of like golf knowledge like technique knowledge of my own swing yes i'm i'm not very good at giving lessons really i'm not very good at looking at somebody. And saying oh yeah he's doing that you know sometimes i'll stand behind say pete cowan. Or somebody like that that i've been having lessons with and then.

They'll see two swings and go oh yeah well you do need to do that. And and i'll be like has he seen that well that looked all right to me um and and their knowledge of in general of you know the eye for being able to see stuff is incredible whereas i i really only know about my own swing. And what makes me play well which has been an advantage over the years because you know if i um if i've got a two shot lead in a final round of a tournament and i go out and i play the first five six holes poorly i feel like i'm swinging it i can fix myself that's good you ever teach your kids i i teach sam a little bit. But i i've sent him to somebody else he's lads and dad's in it he's not going to listen to me a million percent. So uh is he feeling he's going to create me a little bit more i'll send him away. For a lesson i'll go what did you tell you oh you tell me what you tell me great it cost me 100 quid. For you to listen to somebody say what i said do you remember i was i was number one in the fully world yeah listen to me don't listen to me what would i know yeah does it frustrate you that no no i i never listened to my dad as much as i should have done. So has he got any kind of protect is he showing good potential yeah he's a pretty good player yeah yeah he's sort of plus plus one plus two nice um. But he started late so he's just playing catch-up and he needs to play more tournaments his uh his course management and the way he thinks his way around the golf course is is poor at the moment he's still cuddy every now. And again sam as well yeah. And again yeah has that helped him learn your traits your course management to help him in his own game would you say yeah i'm sure he picks up stuff from watching me. And yeah we can carry. For me at the ryder cup and uh you know it's good for me because i tend to talk him through stuff yeah. So it kind of reinforces what i'm trying to do in my own mind no because i'm like kind of giving him a lesson ah. So you you quite verbally yeah when i am giving him a lesson like i sort of he's got a lot of the he's watched me. So he's got a lot of the faults that i've got he swings it quite similar yeah. So if i'm giving him a lesson when i go out and hit balls later on i start to hit it better because i'm thinking about the right things about what i've told him and they applied to me so you know it's golf's strange like that and obviously you're in a very unique situation where you have helen on the back most of the time is that would you say that's yeah 89 of the time helen's on the back yeah i would say. So yeah she's not uh caddying next.

Week at the british masters which she's doing the two after that then.

Byron nelson. And the pga and funny story about the pga last year we were going around keyword island. And she's she's obviously not a golfer she only started caddying for me a few years ago does she play at all by the way she swings it all right. And she can hit it quite good. But she's just not got time yeah. So we're at the pga at keyword island and uh gets to i think it was thursday afternoon. And she's looking around and she's like can i tell you something she goes i go yeah yeah she says i'm looking on monday tuesday. And wednesday and i thought west is here a bit early don't normally turn up to tournaments on tuesday there's a lot of people here. So i had a look online last night and this is a major championship you know this p the pga she had no idea the pga it was amazing we were playing thursday afternoon. Or whenever oh my god she she'd only figured out the night before there was a major championship i thought what a great way to view the game of gold yes. And do you think that's do you think that's really helped you like she doesn't lay rubs off you don't dig it up yeah no she says come on let's go. For another walk around a big green field really this is what it is yeah let's it find it hit it again really. And she just literally you don't she doesn't give you i'm guessing yardages you do all your own yardage sometimes she tries to get involved. And she'll look at me she'll go in five there we go nearly it's a seven just like that time when i cut it yeah yeah um that's crazy do you think when you go when you're newer in your career you benefit from having a professional caddy. And obviously you're at the point now where you've done this obviously enough times you know what you're doing yeah like i said earlier 20 well it depends who you listened to. But it's been 20 2019 now and you know i've had lots of great caddies yeah. And i've learned off them and i i feel like it's more important for me now to make my own decisions and be completely clear in my own mind than have somebody else telling me how they see a shot or something like that now a kid coming on tour who's learning the ropes and like sam if sam was to start then.

I would suggest that he get a good caddy straight away that could you know improve his game management that had seen the way other like say like a billy foster. For example if sam had billy foster billy foster you know his course management of a golf course is brilliant. And he's learned from sevi and sergio gasser and me and darren and people like that and uh he could impart that that knowledge but you know i'm old now and i've i've got all that knowledge so it's more important for me to go out there even if i make the wrong decision out there it's important for me to be 100 committed to that decision and it'd be my decision even if it's the wrong one as opposed to being sent 50 committed to what might be the right decision yeah. So that's the way i'm viewing golf now do you think let's say in a five years time sam makes it he's out on tour he's playing in this pj event. Or something you know major would you carry for him he couldn't afford me [Music] i carried for him once at uh down at wheatley in a in an amateur tournament just one round and he brought the carry bag and after about 15 holes i was absolutely knackered. And i thought i don't know how the caddies do this i could i could never do this really that's. So funny and then.

I'd so i'd driven him down there and then.

And i drove him back i slept so well that night oh my goodness yeah because it is hard grafting honestly this that is a i've just picked it up this morning. And put it in my car and i'm like jesus i'm glad i don't have to carry this oh my goodness that is great um right we've asked about the highlights a more tough question what did you say the lowest part of your career has been the low you know i had a slump in uh about 2001 2002. um when i won the it was weird because i won the order of merit in 2000. And towards the end of 2000 i was being coached by pete. And i said to pete you know my swing don't feel right i can feel me i can i can feel like something's wrong i'm not going through the right positions i felt like i saw it fantastic on my best in saying 98. And 99 and then.

In 2000 i sort of won the money list on confidence you know but like scotty sheffler's playing on confidence now i i was played on on confidence in 2000 won the order merit. But you know just felt like there was something wrong. And and then.

I took a big break going into 2001. And kind of lost my timing and lost that confidence and then.

Couldn't really get it back and it took me two took a couple of years and wow um you know just taking responsibility for my own game and my own golf swing more to get it back really rather than listening to too many people i did like all people do. And went and got too many opinions yeah you know your brain gets cluttered. And that's just not the way to play golf because there's more to it than just swinging it perfectly did you ever in that period of time like really consider this isn't going to work out yeah you thought about jacking it in a couple of times yeah wow yeah. And you know it's just not me though i was gonna say how did you get that's why that's why i'm still hanging around like a bad smell now you know 29 years later you know i i just don't have any give up in me. And where did that where did you feel like that came from do you reckon that was instilled from your parents yeah i guess brought up properly um you know not works up in the in the 80s you know minor strikes. And stuff like that happening early eighties wasn't wasn't the best you know don't get me wrong i had a great childhood and and i was brought up properly. But you know it's not the not the greatest place to you know be brought up at its troubles and and you know you just they're instilled in you aren't they from from like your friends and the community that you come from and you know that's never really left me i've always felt you know lucky to be doing something that i love because i know you know talking to my careers officer at 16 years of age i was given the option of the sandwich factory. Or the bachelor peas factory in wow you know golf's a much better option than just those two exactly and did you did you at that point i know just been through this at 16 did you have that goal to become a professional golfer at that point do you feel yeah at some level yeah yeah i didn't know what level it was going to be. But i knew that i wanted to be involved in golf at some level do you think now more modern players have still got that grit that that that deep ingrained hardware grit that players from your era. Or the era before had that made them so successful yeah i do i do uh certain ones yeah i think a lot of them are almost too groomed you know as maybe college players. Or you know they they looked after too well yeah you know they're given they're given too much too early like perfect practice facilities yeah perfect equipment straight away the bet the best coaching straight away yeah that's a knock-on effect of tiger isn't it you know. And that's why there are. So many good players that swing it technically so good now because they they're getting coached better they're getting they've got nutritionalists so they're eating better they're working out better you know when i came on tour we didn't really go in the gym that much and you know know about foods and yeah there'd have been no physio events i guess yeah no no it uh that came until about 10 years i guess after i started yeah there have been no like mobile gyms. And things like that they weren't we weren't taking trainers around with us and psychologists and stuff like that so every golf's been broken down and every little aspect of it has been fine-tuned for of course for all the players so you know it's you see the grittiest ones they're the ones that win more often yeah because i think i think you only find that grit. And that determination obviously when it's not going well like when you mention you're going through that low point that's when you figure out your grit yeah you do you find out more about yourself when you're playing battle than when you're playing well you don't don't get me wrong you do learn about yourself when you're playing well. But you learn about more important things when you're playing badly if you're going back to the gritty thing um you see the grittiest ones win tournaments when they're not playing well yeah you definitely see that yeah they can just grind it out yeah like jordan spieth yes a couple of weeks ago he's a gritty player yeah you know you you know he's somebody that you wouldn't want to play in in match play he must be in have you played him in match where i guess yeah i beat him there you go when you're watching i wonder why you're bringing that story up it's. So gritty so great is he just like i bet he's a pain in the ass to play against tonight yeah anybody like that that you know is not going to give up like a polter. Or yeah uh trying to think of somebody else well lots of people i've played in my my career um i played jeff maggot in my first ryder cup scott the plank people like that tom lehman in in boston just horrible to play they're never going to give up you know they're gritty almost dirty players yeah you know as dirty as you can be like like that they're almost like that that dennis wise like midfield character that's going to go down the back of your leg yeah you know like a royal king keen yeah you can't talk about right king nice forest player obviously you're a class well you fall out in love with my team certainly um. So obviously we touched on on match play a little bit there what what's your favorite ryder cup memory the final day in chicago came from so many points behind it for me it'll never get any better than that i don't think it was phenomenal yeah um emotional you'd have to say k club in uh back with darren carter yeah walking on the first tee there i think we're all in tears all welled up um. But they're all special you know even the ones you you lose yeah you're on the wrong end of you know you still take great memories from yeah i believe the part is even if the loser's still better unfortunately i can't remember any of the parties i remember going to them. But i could never remember leaving them you find that once you've been in a ryder cup with you know obviously players that then.

For years later on tour you have a better bond with those players in a better relationship yeah you know without the ryder cup i wouldn't have got to know sergio as well as i have. Or you know luke donald um and then.

You know in later times it's nice to you know played with people like jamie donaldson and you know shared those experiences with people like him and martin keimer and siren hanson have partnered who's your dream who's been your dream partner if let's say the ryder cup is tomorrow. And you could partner anybody that you've partnered with in the past who would you pick it'd be a tough one it'd be a toss-up between clarke or sergio i think. And is that because of your games of style suit. Or because personality suit personalities and games with darren and i think sergio is one of the the best ball strikers. And drivers of the golf ball to ever play the game yeah as well it's ridiculous. And he's got that gritty yeah never gives up yeah if you could partner in a made-up world. And if you could partner with a with a american player who would it be well even though he's not got the greatest of records it'd be tiger yeah. But you know that's i mean who wouldn't i felt like you were pretty good in it he's pretty decent right yeah i feel like you i feel like you. And spieth would be a tough match if you yeah people are playing against jake yeah anybody that can make them 10 footers when they need them it's a good partner in radical exactly you know when you talk about these players. And obviously being great players and good players like obviously you're an amazing golfer and you absolutely strike the golf ball so pure as a lot of these guys clearly do how often do you walk down the range an event. And see someone and think hates it different is there many of those guys out there that are almost just just on the level of just striking. Or is that just not happen when you're on tour oh no i'll walk up. And down the range and there's the odd player i'll stand and watch um they're just you can set you can hear the sound can't you you know you'll walk down the range. And you'll hear a sound and you think yeah he's a flusher really i'll stand. And watch something like rory maybe give us like a top five of like flushes flush it well i mean there's there's guys that you wouldn't immediately put into your top you know you wouldn't think. But you know i'd walk down a range and say angel cabrera in his a day um and another argentine eduardo romero um you know my early days of being on tour howard clark barry lane people like that that really compressed the ball right well and did you ever like strive to to get that to that level did you ever pick their brains. And go how are they doing that. Or did you ever speak to pete cowan. And go how do it like those guys can i be a fluttershy really because i you know i've always been a good striker in the golf ball. So do you think more do you think people would put you in their flusher category probably good yes class yeah what is it then.

Is it that you said that compression because i've heard it before that different noise when you've seen elite golfer like today.

We're lucky we're going to see you hit some shots today.

Rick might have a little chat. But it still sounds very different is it because obviously you're fast. But does amateurs who will be fast is it just that compression the angle fast at the right time yeah right angle of attack yeah yeah. And just see all them guys yeah you see all them guys that i mentioned they're lit long irons brilliant right that's really the the yeah. And then.

You mentioned obviously spieth but who who would you say had the without probably the obvious names but like who's got the best short game who's like short game you've ever seen i'm like buddy if i had that short game i would have done x in my career oh phil's phil's got a great short game tiger's got an unbelievable short game um jason day a few years ago when he got to world number one i played with him played some incredible chip shots um you know brett run for the unbelievable bunker player do you ever do you ever get. And it's just a kind of side question do you ever get like some of these players who let's say jason day who was obviously got to world number one he was killing it he's kind of struggled a little bit now did they ever kind of ring you up. Or lean on you for any advice like words of wisdom i don't give my number out like that so it took you 128 episodes you've got better memory on numbers than i have anyway i even i have to check what the episode number up to um danny will it's got an unbelievable short game yeah unbelievable short game yeah do you feel that you're you're in a position now. Or out or have you been in the position where you'll almost be more like a mentor to some young players coming up yeah i suppose i would now yeah yeah. Or have you resisted before this point or no i've always i've always been open you know with people walking up down the range a lot of people ask me stuff. And you know i volunteer the information what kind of stuff like swing things or just general advice or yeah it might be scheduling. Or you know golf coaches who go and see or you know a lot of the a lot of the young kids do come up to me now. And you know ask me my opinion how much do you want to give them though because you're still. So competitive do you not feel like i've got confidence in myself that i can tell them yeah do you think that's taken i'll be honest with them yeah yeah is that taking time to get to that point yeah i think it does yeah yeah yeah you don't you don't want to give too much away of course is there any like up. And coming stars that you've seen that maybe not on the radar that you think oh my god they've got ridiculous potential. But they're on the radar really the the hoi guard twins oh you know i'll walk down the range and probably pronounce that wrong but anyway rasmus and nikolai oh yeah i call them. And uh you know i stand and watch them it balls and it's just a matter of time before they go big time yeah they'll they'll break out. And they'll go and play in america or wherever probably america and then.

The game will come on leaps. And bounds because they've turned pro young and started on the european tour and they've got a bit more of a foundation than some of the kids that will come out of college yeah because do you reckon that again because of it's not been as pampered. For them as such they've had to go through that little bit of grit yeah i just think you you have to grow up quicker if you're playing the european tour there's more experiences. And challenges thrown your way yeah more travel yeah plan a lot more things yeah they're doing it all. For you if you come out of college yeah you're in a team exactly yeah it does it certainly does feel that way like when. And i don't know whether that's just because it because of america and everything's done so kind of corporately and and they do hospitality. So great it's like say it's always that pathway but i feel like when even brooks came over to europe didn't in the european tour for a long time and he talked about his experiences going through that how it taught him. So much made him a gritty player you know like we were talking about early on um yeah good good under pressure now again i feel like i'm going to get the stat wrong. But you've won five time on five different consonants well done so far [Laughter] do you feel like do you have to change your game a lot to win on all these different types of golf courses. Or do you just stick with what you've got do you have to do you have to make many adaptions you always have to adapt to your surroundings. And environment you're playing in um and what made you good at that playing playing in a lot of different places right yeah i think i've won in 19 different countries which is wow i think eight more than like the next.

Best which is that's ernie. And gary player so wow um yeah you just have to you have to be able to adapt not not not that much. But certainly you know putting augusta is different to put in here at close house putting at these two places is different to going. And putting at sao janna in kuala lumpur yeah with grainy greens it'll be different at the open championship yeah andrews yeah playing at saint andrews at sea level heavy windy is different than playing in colorado. Or johannesburg yeah it's in a ball going a mile. And you only get that through experience don't you yeah you can't just go to these places. And just expect to know it can you yeah that's right. And uh you know it's that that's the value of being experienced or the value of having a good caddy yeah an experienced caddy like we're talking about earlier on yeah because they've they if the if the player's not done it at least the academy is like i think has done it talk them through it continued you forget there's. So much difference though in my head i just think it's like parkland. And linksys saying like the altitude the great the weather the face of the year yeah is that even that if you're playing in obviously very hot weather. And you're walking four or five miles a day four days five days in a row even that can take its toll yeah that's why we're all finally tuned athletes [Music]. But you did. And i was saying that you'd put a lot into into your workouts into your health don't you like i've seen you smashing the peloton. And you're still peloton a lot and crossfit yeah i have to do that more than it balls now you know because at 49 you know your body doesn't behave like it did it 27. And you have to you have to adapt your training and you know your approach to the game yeah reinvent yourself really do you do you feel. Or wish if you could would you have started it earlier like would you have if you if you could have grown up being this kind of like gym goal or do you think that would have massively helped you in your game of golf yeah i definitely think. So i would uh i would suggest that anybody coming out for a few different reasons really but i would i would suggest anybody coming out now you know starts working out and looking after the body as early as possible you see a lot of kids starting younger than i started so i started at 13 let's say you see a lot of kids been having a golf club putting around at five years of age big time and golf you're doing the same movement over and over again and you're seeing them get injuries yeah because the body's not developed you know like we were talking about i played football. And rugby and cricket and swam and ran a lot so my body developed to a certain extent as i was growing up. And got balanced and strong in all the right areas some kids come out and they're not doing anything else you know the parents are maybe a bit over overbearing. And tigers the hero and they stick a club in their hand at six years of age and they think they're gonna be the next.

Tiger woods. And at 16 they've got a back injury because they've just been doing the same thing over and over again not doing the gym work just been sent out into a range to hit balls and you know have a lesson and also probably fallen out of love with him a bit yeah you see him you see him you can see him at 17 18 you know hating the game yeah it's horrible. So much however. i feel like obviously through your incredible career 27 years 9 20 you've not really been injured through that kind of time frame but like you look at now modern players like bryce and chambeau obviously out on injury like and he's he's pushed himself so it's the extreme hasn't he though with the strength i think i think there's a little bit of luck involved there with injuries i i i tore my calf muscle in 2010 um it was out. For a few weeks but other than that i haven't really had too many injuries started to feel you know my lower back a couple of years ago three years ago sometimes it's as i get heavier you know carrying a bit more weight gives me a bad back so i have to monitor you know what i weigh um but embarked on a bit of a stretching regime um two or three years ago and i don't have any issues with that now but you know that's 15 20 minutes five times a week do you think modern players are gonna have shorter careers do you think they're going to earn more almost more like smash. And grabs a bit more possibly i think you know it would be different things. For different players i'm just thinking from like a longevity standpoint like do you think that the way that these golfers now are putting themselves through these kind of rig roles do you think that they're going to last 29 year careers well i assume you're thinking just about bryson who's oh just just. But i suppose jason day used to go after yeah like 110 percent yeah bryce has been back issues. And stuff like that he's like the high profile one but there's also a lot coming through the ranks like you think are they going to be able to keep this up. For long periods of time well golf's not a tippy tappy game anymore is it no you know you've got to you've got it a long way try. And overpower golf courses that's just the way they're designing golf courses and the way people start to see the game now don't they so um that could encourage people to go at it harder and more injuries unless they unless they start working out and treating their bodies appropriately you know and putting the foundations in there to be able to swing at those kind of speeds when you're having those kind of jewels with bryson like ben hill and things like that did you think at that point god i'm a long way behind this guy. Or did you obviously you were still competing. And still in the final day together like did. Or did it still feel like you could play well that's the great thing about golf. And you don't i don't have to play him at his game yeah you know there's lots of different ways to win golf tournaments um he's 26. Or seven or whatever and i'm 48 49 so you know i'm not gonna as far as him nobody does yeah. So you have to find another way to get around the golf course and one less than him before she didn't quite manage it at bay ill but i did manage it the following week at the players. So exactly um yeah that. For me is the interesting thing about golf it you know there's all of a sudden there's a scottie shuffler yeah all of a sudden there's a bryce. And dichambo all of a sudden there's somebody that's maybe a little bit shorter yeah yeah there's no there's no one way is there no there's no one way to shoot at [Applause] kind of quick fire questions either. Or answers but if you want to elaborate feel free um number one nine holes or the driving range well it depends quick fire you've got you've got two hours to spare what'd you enjoy more driving enjoy the driving range more like nine holes yeah driving range first app you open in the morning on your phone quick fire sorry well i like that i like the holding makes you get the right answer twitter whatsapp alarm clock [Laughter] turn it off do you get are you quite an early bird uh yeah as i've got older i've slept less which i hate about myself because i used to be i used to ever used to call me half my half mattress i used to like sleeping sleep the clock round. And as i've got older i've turned into my dad her parents you know getting it going getting up early. And what was that like a six o'clock is that earlier than that yeah whatever the like time the light starts pouring through the curtains oh really. And then.

Unfortunately are you up are you working out are you chilling out you're having a coffee scrolling like we end up doing um yeah i'll spend like everybody else 15 20 minutes looking through instagram. Or yeah something like that whatever you put on obviously obviously thank you 120 things yeah i've been jet lagged. For 29 years which uh you know makes sleeping awkward yeah yeah have that there's not not many times like you know you've you've slept in a lot of different buddy beds around the world yeah you know it's at i mean it's nice just to be at home. And i bet you wish you could lie until 11 o'clock when i said that to somebody uh yesterday they said oh you must just you know you must have seen a lot of the world i said i've seen a lot of airports golf courses. And hotels around the world but i haven't actually seen a lot of the world do you wish you hadn't been too long more yeah it would be nice to be able to go a few days early. And you know take in the sides but when you're playing 30 tournaments a year you you know it's about private jets have been the biggest luxury in my life they've afforded me so much time to do other stuff you know sometimes flying around in a private jet saves you a day a week when you think about you know having to leave on a uh monday instead of. Or you know a jet you know when i was playing a lot in europe. And i was like i would turn it i would turn up to a tournament on a wednesday morning play the prime. And the wednesday afternoon as a practice round whereas you know if i didn't have that luxury i'd be going on a monday. And then.

Having a practice on a tuesday and sometimes not getting back on a sunday night if i played really well miss the flight home if you if you've got a net jets contract like i have you know i can get out. So that's been the biggest luxury in my life this is a question i've always wanted to know right you're flying to i'm trying to think new york okay from wherever newcastle. Or wherever what is actually faster a commercial flight. Or a private jet oh i would never fly private that far can it not go that far yeah. But it's just too expensive really yeah i would fly newcastle to heathrow. And then.

You throw jfk right okay if. And yes i do take my own golf clubs with me as well that's how i get them there if you if you did have. And again i'm just more curious because i don't i don't fight private jet i know if you know this if you were to fly commercial. Or private from newcastle to new york which plane would win our private jets fast that's what i'm trying to work out yeah they're quick yeah they go rick i'm going to fly at the same speed as the jets fly the same speed with all the checking in yeah you can fly when you want yeah yeah. So you know and you they've never lost my golf clubs when they're putting them in the thing that holds right behind you you know they're going on yeah. And they're not going to get damaged they get chucked about yeah um the next.

Question i've got is actually i might tweak it it was gonna be what's your favorite to play in the open. Or the masters well maybe still have that but is there any other events on tour that issue. For whatever reason just love playing uh the masters your favorite tournament to play in um the one i'd like to win the most is the open um there's a lot goes on the week of the open that as a british player that you could do without um the masters you you don't get it do you feel more pressure when you're talking about tiger. And people like that take the yeah the fl those weeks. And take all the pressure off you do you feel more pressure is applied in the in like the open you just want to play well in front of your home fans you know i've always enjoyed love playing in england. And britain um so there's a little bit more pressure wanting to please them yeah do you get a better rapid you know reception let's say you're on the first hit the masters they announce your name obviously crowds cheer is it bigger is it more enthusiastic when it's at places like the open no i don't think. So i've always had a good reception anywhere i've gone and played and and having been out there for so long people have followed me for nearly 30 years now so they've i've grown up in front of their eyes you know i've gone from being 19 to 49 so they feel like they've known me really well yeah. And you know you you you kind of gain an affinity with the golf fans because you know it's yes some of them are new ones. But a lot of them are people that watched it in their 20s. And now watch it in the 50s aren't they and they respect you they respect what you've done when you're playing the pro ams and stuff which i'm guessing obviously still do what's the single biggest thing you see amateurs do wrong um well their game management is poor. But their game management is only poor because they don't hit it consistently. So you know they'll not enough club a lot of the time except the the best question that i get i always get asked in programs is uh what club do you think i should eat i said well how far have you got 170 yards i said well what do you at 170 yards anything from a three iron to an eight iron. So am i gonna know what you should eat yeah yeah it's like are you planning on thin in this one yeah yeah. And you'll get the blame yeah i knew i should have hit nine. And then.

You'll get that one a little this is one i'm dying to know um i'm a bit of a golf equipment nerd what's the favorite club you've ever owned. But maybe let's almost if you've got time like driver irons and putter like have you got a favor like ping g10 for example was a beast like i used that. For years though yeah i used to infuriate ping because it would be unlike g20. And i'd still be using the g10 can you please use something up to date some up-to-date equipment. And i was like i really love the g10. And eventually billy was cutting from the time. And he says he said to me they're gonna have to wrestle this thing out my hands. For you to put anything else in your golf bag he loves it as well yeah yeah. So that's one that kind of yeah i've got it somewhere i think such a nice head still i was looking we were not deloney's secondhand shops at andrews. And they had one size to use that driver it's weird it's still a 460 but it looks quite small yeah. But it's such a nice profile i think the newest ones they're making now look a bit more like that obviously with modern technology. And materials probably more modern materials being used and shafts have improved on the shaft technology even in the last 12 years or whatever it's been um but that's uh i'm not a massive fan of the big flat-headed drivers that look like a frying pan on the end of the club yeah i like something that looks a bit deep deep-faced. And chunky behind it are you into the tech of the clubs. Or you just hit one yeah that feels good do you not tell the way i've just described the guy they're flat like a frying pan. And deep-faced and chunky just give it to me and i hit it and if it goes straight in a long way then.

I i like it i love that yeah yeah do you reckon do the do you have much influence like the engineers. And stuff do you ever get a chance to do on putters a little bit yeah yeah i like talking to the the guys in the the lab design stuff you know the new stuff that pinga brought out i like talking to them about well you know what they're thinking. And the thoughts behind because that changes all the time we have a good time it's another thing that's been analyzed to the nth degree in it do you think we put it quite a bit uh i changed i used to change putters a lot. But i've been using this fetch that was in the hole you put it in the ball out yeah did you ever do that with it when you're practicing i did it when i won in abu dhabi i was gonna do it um where was it i was gonna do it somewhere else. But i was in the second last group i thought i'll only do it from the last grade in case i damaged the oil which i didn't damage it all. But uh yeah i said to the i said to the guys if i went marty i think it was in phoenix i said if i win tomorrow i said i'll pick it out there with the phone he's like please do please do you know make sure there's a video camp make sure there's a camera i did i tapped it in. For about that far to win by a couple and it went like that and held me arms in there yeah i told you. So well known like the anza family the answer shape and that's been so revolutionary but equally they've had some crazy designs the actual crazy yeah they've drawn the dock 17 that was 17 meters yeah. And then.

Obviously the fetch they have kind of pushed the boundary with different innovations i've won with nearly all of them crazy but if you go if you ever get to go in the uh the vault at ping yeah there's a bit. And make a gold one yeah you get gold on. For every time you win a wall um yeah yeah it's a sound you've made. And you've got your own wall side of the vault i think there's i think i've got about 60 odd in there. For ryder cups and i used to give them out for career money and stuff like that have you always been paying that all your career yes uh i had my first set of clubs when i was 14. uh i bought a set. Or my mom and dad bought me a set of i twos and i won the county championship and ping found out that you know i played i played ping and they said would you want to come down. And we'll give you a set and you know we'll spec them all out for you wow so yeah i've been about 14 years of age i've played. For nearly 35 years now and i've been with titleist for about the same yeah 48 years. Or something and i've been with titleist for about the same amount of time i started giving my golf balls when i was about 16 yeah what was the ball. And the turbo or was it it was gutta-percha. Or something like that uh yeah it would have been tor bellator i think then.

It went too professional after that i think yeah it was also tall pristine oh you are a golfer yeah i am a bit the reason i know about those balls because of junior i wasn't that good at golf i used to love a backspin i love the tour edition of yeah i used to love soft golf balls yeah what what do you do with all the it's probably the most often question i get asked what do i do with all the golf clubs our tests. And stuff what do you do with all your golf clubs i get i give them away i sign them um i sent a load to south africa. For people down there to use it's amazing the future charity if you're in the clubhouse here yeah yeah do you ever keep any is there any ones that you just wouldn't ever give away though i've i'm guessing you've got a g10 somewhere is there anything in the garage it is like a set that you've like you've won with that you're like i need to keep that set. Or not really no you're not that kind of precious with the clubs yeah it's interesting right there's one's on walls everywhere i don't know you know there's one that went with from winning there yeah yeah match play a derby had somebody took a picture of the day. And i thought i wondered where that part had gone forgotten i gave it to them what about like golf bags and stuff i mean we've been here. For like a lot here yeah i mean that's not mine. But yeah outside. But do you have many at home still many like again is there any golf i feel like you're still like uh blase about the equipment there's no like really precious ryder cup bags that you've had. Or that you've still got at home i i i turn them into stuff like this and there's a lot here and a lot up at the academy that you know other people can enjoy looking at no way i've got the memories. And i don't need a golf bag well jonathan showed me the which one was it 97 ryder cup one yeah. And there was a little ball still in it. Or something it was a preset. Or a bridgestone or something when you park the file darts really that's really cool i didn't know that tell me about it just take that on ebay for you to sign it um a couple more questions on here they are again quick ones how'd you like your state cooked pittsburgh medium what's a pittsburgh medium shard on the outside. And medium onion okay that works. For me i get mine well done which gets frowned upon but i like it so don't judge oh you like it yeah thank you thanks lee cheers. So next.

Time it's the restaurant the one pulls the face they'll actually leave yeah even he's been on top of 29 years he's been on tour. For 29 years 36 years he's been on tour um okay two more most underrated golfer in your career someone that's been out there that just doesn't maybe get the media hype. Or hasn't won as much of this showed or just someone that's just class but maybe not household name everybody gets the hype now don't they in the coverage maybe before the internet era then.

It was like when you said before barry lane like he's obviously a big name yeah i don't think you're here mark james yeah matt james these kind of coming to the were they kind of come. Or come to the end oh right there weren't they so they got the uh they got like the they did get the media accolades. And stuff like that you know if you want to call it that but uh guys that'll pay uh vj sing appreciation yeah i love vj yeah oh good great story about not vj. But dave rennick that carried for vijay and uh he carried for me in the years that i was struggling. And uh great bloke unfortunately passed away a few years ago and he he came to me when he was working. For me and i was really struggling. And uh and he and he was like that top five in the in the world caddies probably carried. For lazar when he won the masters and stuff like that and he said he came to me. And he was like he says vj's vj wants me to go. And work for me offered me the job he said uh i said dave if you don't take that job i will oh. And he went off and carried for him he won about 10 events and went to world number world number one and it's like oh 304 kind of time yeah i remember that yeah ratif goosen was really killing it as well around that time i think as well yeah. And he would have been as well vijay was is the hardest worker i've ever i've heard was he big in the gym as well yeah yeah before well yeah before we also really started doing it seriously yeah it would. But just the last one first one on the range the last one to leave it still now do you think it's right here yeah he probably does it i saw him at the masters. And he was shelling them yeah digging holes that's madness. And when you say like really are we talking like hundreds of hundreds of shots in a practice session yeah he's been known. For it in thousands i think i can't yeah he wear the range out he used to go. And practice at sawgrass to play it you know down the bottom there where the players allowed and he you know he'd wear it out oh my goodness yeah well i. For a video of the day 500 shots took me nearly six hours my hands were absolutely killing every the next.

Day i felt like the worst jet lag ever. So never mind trying to do that the next.

Day multiple times did you improve well tell him what the video was i tried to get a hole in one. For 500 shots right rip off of like the european tour video any good no uh somewhere. But like the odds of light obviously i think. For the only ones you had only one west lance open qualifying 17th hole genuinely honestly double figures yeah 20 something 20 something what please tell me you've kept some of the golf balls that you've had holding on oh. For goodness sake everything you don't give anything keep a monkey old title do you love them into the crowd yeah i was like yeah you know than it does me where's the last one you had yeah uh i had one on the eighth it the amazing shot tracer one yeah did you see that yeah i had one in the match play against two latin a couple of years ago oh my god yeah i see sergio hold it against me yeah i thought was quite a few on that was it that that hole in the corner didn't tommy have one i'll get close as well that yeah it was quite i don't know i wouldn't play. And tell me so i don't care about that playing sergio beat me on the fourth extra well speaking of beating my last question for you lee was you're playing golf against rick shields sorry hang on a minute let me finish off where was your rolling one west lance yeah 17th club seven iron one it was actually about 192. But it's dead burnt out open qualifying finno you know tommy's was watching at the side. And believe it or not i've been doing youtube nearly 10 years now there's not many shots i've hit that are not documented that are not on video by this bloody holy one that's like it's almost like hearsay like did it actually happen luckily it happened at an event at the open qualified. And there were spectators there. But of all the things i've ever recorded the my only one wasn't recorded yeah it was. So annoying witnesses yeah exactly um yeah. So you're playing against me today.

That's the final question rick's in the start off you're saying level power obviously like a normal round of golf rick starting minus 10. is it stroke player play. And what's the question will you beat him no off the back back i've got to say i haven't had the most ideal preparation. For this round of golf today.

You've had a birthday weekend. And a wedding i've been to a wedding which finished about one o'clock last night um it'll be close i'd probably get in his head can you shoot better than if you can shoot better than five of a par on this golf course which obviously you can i think you've got a good chance yeah probably he's probably intimidated playing me as well you know i've been watching me on tour. For 27 years yeah he missed the first two we've got some quick fire questions from some of the fans um nathan hussain's asked who would be your ideal grouping. For the 150th open that's a good question there you go if they use these earlier we'll get you on the guy that was. For me it's not it's nice to have a decent question i don't know who do i enjoy playing with somebody not slow okay obviously name i think we all know they are slow ones um i'm not i'm not really fussed well come on there open championship tigers tiger is always fun. And then.

What by like have you got like a best friend can i be it that's where it was internet you've not got like a best friend on tour that you think can i get your friend like somebody you always play great with no not really um who else who else ernie you know what i always used to play great when i played with ernie. And freddie couples because i just said stop rhythms yeah. So do you like to play with faders of the golf ball. Or drawers and does it influence you at all i honestly don't mind i'm not really watching them i know i feel the questions that we're asking naturally i like about players. But because you're so good so elite you're not looking at what they're doing surely you're in your own world yeah. So like i said if they get on with it don't get them away great yeah pete tom pete toomes has asked will forrest get promoted yes there's also if you ask whatever you do don't call them knott's forests nuts county in it god's sake it's not scary it's nottingham forest. Or forest or forest john dawson what are your swing thoughts as you step up to hit the ball. And you ever do you have a routine right before you pull the trigger yeah a routine that starts on the on the range you know i would i wouldn't just go out. And hit 500 golf balls one after the other light some falls i don't even get a hold of him when i practice i practice properly so i'll i'll put a golf ball down and i'll pick a target i'll go stand behind it i'll walk in and i'll lit it and that'll be the same routine pre-shot routine and time over the golf ball as it will be out there today.

When we play when i beat you um. So we've got the clickbait title for the podcast now lee westwood called me a fool title of the podcast no just do you have a routine. And you have anything right before you pull the trigger yeah you mentioned swing thoughts. Or something like that so i've got about five or six swing thoughts that i go through as i'm warming up and then.

I'll take my favorite to the golf course and if that one don't work that day then.

We'll try another one go away and if if it's going well then.

I'll keep the same swing thought obviously won't i. But if i run out of if i go through the six and nothing's working then.

We'll really pray that what you do. And if these have these been the same are these consistent swing thoughts yeah they've got they've changed slightly over the years you know what i forget a load of them you know if i have a couple of weeks off you know like today.

I was struggling to remember what i was working on uh at the masters oh my goodness you need to leave a little voice notes. For yourself or writing or video myself yeah in a lesson you've got two that's a good tip. For amateurs actually if they're having a lesson you know everybody carries a phone now with video and it video the lesson then.

You can jog your memory whenever because they don't play every week sometimes do they. So you can jog your memory two three weeks down the line about you know. And then.

You don't have to go over another lesson club pros have been loving me for that yeah if you give quality you get more you get more clients exactly. So that it still works in your favor um stephen cargill this tough question maybe one you don't answer who do you prefer on the back ellen. Or sam and don't isn't there a third option as well don't have a third i i i use uh um all sorts of different caddies if if helen and sam can't do it right. So it doesn't faze you but your number one your preferred is helen yeah the the conversation's just a little bit sam sam tends to talk about golf too much which i ate what color do you think we should paint you know i've got another um you can pick what should this is from nathan young pick your favorite part three par four. And part five oh nice well eleven twelve thirteen at augusta that's gotta be some running it yeah all in a row although i'm not a massive fan of the change i've made to 11. i believe it's made it really challenging if you miss right yeah i didn't think it needed it i thought it was a brilliant old as it was do you think it's still a brilliant oh don't get me wrong i just preferred it how it was before did they ever make a change. And then.

Almost rectify it because it didn't quite work out i'm sure they do. But they'd never admit to it would they no do you ever notice it though not really they they say they've changed stuff. But it's very hard to see you know they'll not tell you what they've done it's up to you to that's the great thing about the place you know you you have to learn it rather than it being written down and how does it bed in how did they make it just look like it's been there forever unicorn dust i think sprinkle it on it um who is uh this is from eamon hunt who is the comedian in the ryder cup team stenson's pretty pretty good pretty dry i've been imported i think he'll be a good captain yeah very good yeah yeah i think it's about respect the captaincy. And enric commands a lot of respect from everybody yeah i feel like you won't mess around with him oh we mess around with him all right yeah yeah he can take a joke he's good lad um i've got another one really good one here um proud is the proudest actual moment in golf this is from colin wallace i was like you're proud it's very like one moment coming back coming back from adversity right yeah yeah you know coming back from the slump makes me more proud than getting to world number one. Or riding village and stuff like that you know not not giving in i'm always a big fan of people that have not given in tony forrester has asked looking back was the one thing you would change in your career if it guaranteed a major win really i feel like i've made all the [Music] right decisions. And good decisions at the time you know i'm quite happy with where everything sits yeah i maybe wouldn't have been quite. So aggressive on the first put at termbry on the final green yeah that went about nine feet by. But you know that that was that was mentally a bad decision you know i'd stayed in the present all week that way you can got myself into a good position then.

I saw tom watson hit the fairway behind me. And i thought well he's going to make four from there he ended up making five. And he went through the bat even with a good shot and uh you know cost myself being in the playoff but it was a it was a mental error rather than a physical one just just trying to win the tournament which you might say it's a good thing yeah yeah we meant i think we mentioned a couple of times like about how the media big things up do you think that's something that gets bigged up is that something that's bigger in the media about the whole major thing than it actually is. For you obviously you've had an amazing career world number one 25 wins in the european tour i feel like a ridiculous career for how long so competitive for so long is that something the media probably big up more than actually you're as bothered about they love stats don't they. And they love comparing stuff and you know people ask who's the greatest player of all time don't they a lot of people say to me tiger i said we can't be because you rate everybody on how many major championships jack's won the most major championships he's the greatest player of all time. So one minute they want it one way another minute they want it another way generally to suit themselves whatever the narrative narrative they're pushing or their feels i feel like going. For that day or week or year or whatever so that's the thing obviously winning a mage is a massive accomplishment. But there's been a number of players who've won a major and they're not done that much else like you wouldn't want to do that would you'd rather obviously have yeah i mean with longer a few different breaks. And making a few different decisions at certain times i could be sat with four four major championships yeah. But i'm not but i don't think about it every day it's not something that winds me up no i've got a couple of bits here i think it's kind of i've got one more remind me ian sent a really nice comment i want to tell you in a minute this is. For me what would advice would you give to young lee westwood so if you could whisper into the air of you the very first day you turn professional what do you tell yourself i wouldn't tell myself anything i've enjoyed the experience of learning. And i've just had a brilliant time for 30 years but would you tell them like everything's gonna be all right and enjoy it and not take it too seriously yeah it's a game. And if you were if you were to do it all again would you do anything differently the only thing i would do is i would take more responsibility. For my own game make more decisions it's good listening to other people but a lot of the time you end up living and making it making decisions based on their opinions too much i would go with my own thoughts more yeah make your own decisions is what you're obviously doing now as well um this is not a question. But it's a lovely lovely comment right ian keane's push not a question but i want to give a big thank you to lee lee invited my dad and i to walk the 18th at wentworth on the pro-am day my dad had just been given a new trial as he's been given a terminal cancer diagnosis in april he found um this he found his way through it and walked around the pro-am and was a goal i set him as part of his recovery as when i when he was in hospital he could walk 15 yards um the words of encouragement from lee has helped him. So much mentally that you could ever imagine daddy's now playing golf two or three times a week and getting stronger and stronger he's a true gentleman and a credit to the game isn't it like he's like you've helped someone get through something like the comments on that has been phenomenal oh here's the picture oh wow yeah remember yeah yeah nice guy battler oh that's good playing golf yep was that was that this that he's a lesson giving up that's great that is proper green that's it yeah amazing wow you're worried about the three four foot. Or not going in yeah there you go another chat with him exactly. So it's all about perspective so when i'm absolutely bricking on the first tee today.

Yeah that'll be justified well you've been amazing uh thank you. So much for your time um i think we've got time to whack a few golf balls. And get on the golf course see if it's still there see if one of your six swing thoughts helps you today.

Not it all sixly i might have to have a good stretch before i get going today.

There won't be rolls-royce in it today.

What's wrong with it well rolls royces don't need a warm-up don't they ah you don't need a warmer rolls royce. So leave it ticking over we wouldn't know private jets rolls royces right thank you lee and thanks everyone for listening and watching and we shall see you all soon.