Latest news with #LeeWestwood
San Francisco Chronicle
5 hours ago
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Lee Westwood qualifies for British Open, his first major since joining LIV
IRVINE, Scotland (AP) — Lee Westwood had rounds of 70-67 at Dundonald Links to earn his way into the British Open, his first major since the former world No. 1 joined Saudi-funded LIV Golf three years ago. Westwood was among 20 players who earned their places at Royal Portrush through Final Regional Qualifying, held over four courses in England and Scotland, each awarding five spots. He was among three LIV players from the 15 who showed up for qualifiers. Westwood, a 52-year-old from England with 25 titles on the European tour and three Order of Merit titles, led the five qualifiers at Dundonald at 7-under 137. 'I've always said it's the greatest championship in golf and as a British player you get phenomenal support,' Westwood said. 'I'm just looking forward to enjoying the week at Portrush, seeing a few old friends and enjoying that golf course.' The Open is July 17-20 at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland, where Shane Lowry won in 2019. Westwood was one shot out of the lead through 36 holes before tying for fourth, nine shots behind Lowry. Two other LIV Golf players, Lucas Herbert of Australia and Dean Burmester of South Africa, also earned spots in The Open. Herbert led qualifiers at West Lancashire, while Burmester led the way at Royal Cinque Ports. Graeme McDowell, who grew up at Portrush, was among five LIV players who missed out at Royal Cinque Ports. That included Ian Poulter and his 21-year-old son Luke, who plays at Florida and was an alternate at the U.S. Open last month. Seven other LIV players didn't make it, either finishing outside the top five or withdrawing in the middle of the round. Three others withdrew before it started. LIV Golf wrapped up an event in Dallas on Sunday, and players had to fly straight to the U.K. for qualifying. Westwood was No. 1 in the world toward the end of 2010. He once was considered among the best never to have won a major, twice a runner-up at the Masters and missing out on a playoff by one shot at the U.S. Open (2008 at Torrey Pines) and British Open (2009 at Turnberry). ___
The Independent
5 hours ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Lee Westwood secures Open place but Ian Poulter and son miss out
Lee Westwood made light of jet lag to book his return to The Open following a two-year absence after winning his qualifier in Scotland. However, his former Ryder Cup and current LIV Golf team-mate Ian Poulter and his son Luke – and Portrush-born ex-US Open champion Graeme McDowell – all came up short in their bids to make the final major of the year. Westwood, 52, who has played in golf's oldest championship 27 times previously, finished top at Dundonald Links after posting seven under for 36 holes. Westwood had flown in from Dallas where he had been competing in Sunday's LIV Golf event. 'I've been up since half-past one this morning with jet lag so I was starting to feel it,' said Westwood, whose move to the Saudi Arabia breakaway series removed his chances of qualifying for majors through regular tour events. 'I haven't tried to qualify for the last couple of years for one reason or another. ' Royal Portrush is a fantastic golf course and I played well there last time, finished fourth in 2019, so that was another reason to come and play. 'The Open Championship is the greatest tournament on the golfing calendar. I'm not getting any younger, I'm 52 now.' Poulter at least finished the day with some pride intact as, having trailed Luke all day in the scoring, finished level with his 21-year-old son on one under. Luke followed an opening 67 with a 76 at Royal Cinque Ports in Kent, with his dad shooting 72-71, as they and McDowell finished just short. 'I played good on the first 18, the last 18 not great,' said Luke. LIV golfer Dean Burmester topped the leaderboard at Royal Cinque Ports after a brilliant eight-under second-round 64 lifted him to 10 under. That was three better than Nathan Kimsey – whose professional golfer girlfriend Lauren Taylor won the 2011 Women's Amateur at Portrush – and Curtis Knipes, who qualified for the 2019 Open. Derbyshire amateur Sebastian Cave and Dane John Axelsen completed the five qualifiers. At Dundonald, amateur Connor Graham won a play-off to join fellow Scot Daniel Young, Spain's Angel Hidalgo, Swede Jesper Sandborg and Westwood in qualifying. Another LIV golfer, Lucas Herbert, finished top at West Lancashire, near Liverpool, with an eight-under total after rounds of 69 and 67. That was one better than China's Sampson Zheng, with England's George Bloor third and amateur Richard Teder – who holed out from the fairway for eagle at the third extra hole to become the first Estonian to play at The Open – and Finland's Oliver Lindell coming through a four-man play-off. England's Jacob McGoldrick endured a roller-coaster end to his qualifying as a hole-in-one at the 15th put him in line to progress, only to card two late bogeys to miss the play-off by one. At Burnham & Berrow in Somerset, Cornwall -born PGA Tour winner Harry Hall qualified alongside winner Justin Walters, who finished nine under, Dane Jakob Skov Olesen, amateur Frazer Jones and fellow Englishman OJ Farrell.
The National
5 hours ago
- Sport
- The National
Lee Westwood tops Open final qualifying at Dundonald Links
'It's a strange route and not the ideal preparation,' gasped Lee Westwood of the fraught transatlantic trip he had to make from a LIV event in Texas to Open final qualifying in Ayrshire. It was all worth it, of course, as the 52-year-old former world No 1 sealed a tee-time for Royal Portrush after rounds of 70 and 67 gave him a seven-under aggerate and left him perched at the top of the standings. It was a good day too for the Scots, as Perth's Danny Young eased through in second place on six-under while Blairgowrie teenager Connor Graham thwarted the ambitions of Tartan Tour mainstay, Paul O'Hara, in a late night sudden-death play-off for the fifth and final qualifying place. As for Westwood? Well, the short hop over to Portrush in a couple of weeks will be the decorated Englishman's 28th Open appearance, a first since 2022 and his 93rd major championship outing overall. It's been a long haul. Just like his 4,700-mile journey across the pond to get here. 'I didn't get in until seven o'clock the night before,' he yawned. 'I hadn't played the golf course before, so walked it when I got here. I only slept for an hour-and-a-half as well. If I collapse, then you'll know why.' Sometimes, the golf writers have that effect on people. He may have been unfamiliar with the various nooks, crannies, perils and pitfalls of the Dundonald links but Westwood drew on all his experience and put on a masterclass in course management. 'It's been a while since I've played 36-holes in a day,' he added with a wry smile. LIV Golf, of course, is a genteel 54-hole stroll in comparison. Westwood has never managed a major win, despite having more close shaves than Sweeney Todd. As he clambers the brae on the age front, the former Ryder Cup linchpin is not going to Portrush with any grand expectations, although he did finish tied fourth the last time The Open visited Northern Ireland in 2019. If the golden oldies are going to prosper anywhere, though, it's on a links course. 'Tom Watson proved that around Turnberry in 2009 and then Greg Norman a couple of years later at Birkdale,' noted Westwood, who made his Open debut at St Andrews in 1995 after coming through the 36-hole qualifying scramble at Leven. 'I think if any form of golf gives seniors a chance, it's links golf because you get a bit of run and you have to use a bit of cunning and guile with the wind.' While Westwood went for a lie down, Young was off to toast the prospect of a major debut with a beer. It was well deserved. The 33-year-old, fresh from a second and a third on the HotelPlanner Tour in recent weeks, continued that fine form at Dundonald with a 71 and a 67 for six-under. A tidy birdie putt from eight feet on the last ensured he finished with a flourish. 'That felt great as I hadn't made a thing on the greens all afternoon,' he said with a sigh of relief. 'But you just have to be patient. I came close in this last year so it's a course I feel comfortable on.' Promotion to the main DP World Tour remains Young's big goal this season but a trip to The Open will be a nice detour on his golfing journey. 'Everybody's grinding on the tour,' he added of the fierce cut-and-thrust of the second-tier circuit. 'You can see the relief and the disappointment on the faces of players at every event, every week. "This is a big, big step in my career. I've got a big second half of the year coming up and hopefully I'll start with a good week at Portrush.' Young's fellow Perthshire man, Graham, had to book his Portrush ticket the hard way in a play-off with O'Hara after they had finished tied on the four-under mark. The former Walker Cup player, who won the Junior Open in 2022, trundled in a decisive birdie putt on the first extra-hole to set up a major debut. 'It was pretty nervy in the play-off but, thankfully, I got the job done,' said Graham, who was grouped with Westwood and Ryder Cup winner Jamie Donaldson for the 36-holes. 'There were big crowds following our group and I managed to deal with the pressure and that definitely helped me in the play-off.' There will be bigger crowds to come at Portrush. Roll on The Open.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
These are the LIV golfers who have qualified for the 2025 British Open
Ahead of the final qualifiers for the 2025 British Open on Tuesday, there were 15 LIV golfers already in the field for Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland. There were another 16 spread across the four qualifying sites (three in England, one in Scotland) hoping to play well enough to get in the final men's major of the year. At each site, only the top five would advance and it's noteworthy that the three LIV golfers who survived their qualifier each won their qualifier. Advertisement There were two LIV golfers, Paul Casey and Branden Grace, who did not attempt to qualify. Dean Burmester hits a chip shot on the ninth hole during the first round of the 2025 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club. LIV golfers who made it through 2025 British Open final qualifying Lee Westwood Lucas Herbert Dean Burmester LIV golfers who didn't advance through 2025 British Open final qualifying Anirban Lahiri Graeme McDowell Ian Poulter David Puig Abraham Ancer Peter Uihlein Adrian Meronk Harold Varner III Luis Masaveu Jinichiro Kozuma Caleb Surratt Sam Horsfield Andy Ogletree All the LIV golfers in the 2025 British Open Bryson DeChambeau Jon Rahm Tyrrell Hatton Dustin Johnson Brooks Koepka Phil Mickelson Patrick Reed Cameron Smith Jason Kokrak Joaquin Niemann Louis Oosthuizen Carlos Ortiz Tom McKibbin Henrik Stenson John Catlin Lee Westwood Lucas Herbert Dean Burmester There are 18 LIV golfers heading to Royal Portrush. There were 12 LIV players who competed in the Masters, 15 in the PGA Championship and 14 in the U.S. Open this year. This article originally appeared on Golfweek: LIV golfers qualified for the 2025 British Open at Royal Portrush
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Who advanced (and who didn't) out of final qualifying for the 2025 British Open
The U.S. Open has Golf's Longest Day, the nickname given to the 36-hole marathon final qualifiers. The British Open also has a day of final qualifiers. Ahead of the 2025 Open Championship at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland, the R&A staged four qualifiers, each advancing the top five to the championship. Advertisement Burnham & Berrow, Royal Cinque Ports and West Lancashire in England as well as Dundonald Links in Scotland were the host venues. The R&A reported that 288 golfers were spread across the four courses. Harry Hall plays his shot from the 16th tee during the second round of the 2025 Rocket Classic at Detroit Golf Club. Who advanced out of final qualifying for the 2025 Open Championship? Dundonald Links, Scotland Lee Westwood won this qualifier at 7 under (70-67) to earn his first British Open spot since 2022. In fact, that was the last PGA Tour major he's played in. In that time, he's only played two seniors majors. Conner Graham (a) and Paul O'Hara tied for fifth at 4 under and faced off in a sudden-death, 2-for-1 playoff for the final spot with the amateur Graham coming out on top. Pos. Name Score 1 Lee Westwood -7 T2 Daniel Young -6 T2 Angel Hidalgo -6 4 Jesper Sandborg -5 5 Connor Graham (a) -4 Among the notables who did not advance: Adrian Meronk and Callum Tarren (who both withdrew). West Lancashire, England Another LIV golfer won this qualifier, with Lucas Herbert finishing 8 under (69-67), a shot better than the field. Advertisement This qualifier also had a playoff, a 4-for-2 between Richard Teder (a), Oliver Lindell, Ronan Mullarney and Sam Bairstow. Teder and Lindell were the lucky golfers to advance from that playoff. Pos. Name Score 1 Lucas Herbert -8 2 Sampson Zheng -7 3 George Bloor -6 T4 Richard Teder (a) -5 T4 Oliver Lindell -5 Among the notables who did not advance: Tommy Morrison (a), Harold Varner III, Andy Ogletree, Harrison Crowe, Alex Fitzpatrick and Sam Horsfield. Burnham & Berrow, England South Africa's Justin Walters finished in first at 9 under. PGA Tour winner Harry Hall was tied for second, a shot back. Pos. Name Score 1 Justin Walters -9 T2 Jacob Skov Olesen -8 T2 Harry Hall -8 4 Frazer Jones (a) -7 5 OJ Farrell -6 Among the notables who did not advance: Anirban Lahiri, Caleb Surrat. Royal Cinque Ports, England A third LIV golfer, Dean Murmester, won this qualifier. He did so by four shots at 10 under (70-64), shooting a second 18 holes that was six shots better than his first. All three LIV golfers who advanced did so after winning their qualifier. Pos. Name Score 1 Dean Burmester -10 T2 Nathan Kimsey -6 T2 Curtis Knipes -6 4 Sebastian Cave (a) -5 5 John Axelsen -4 Among the notables who did not advance: David Puig (who opened with a 64 but then shot 78), Erik van Rooyen, Ian Poulter, Luke Poulter (a), Graeme McDowell, Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen. Four amateurs advanced to 2025 British Open There was one amateurfrom each of the four qualifiers who advanced: Advertisement They are Sebastian Cave, Frazer Jones, Connor Graham and Richard Teder, who became the first golfer from Estonia to make it to the British Open. This article originally appeared on Golfweek: British Open 2025: Notables who made it through final qualifying
