He missed the Open Championship story of customs. And had no idea

Lee Westwood went green in Royal Portrush and looked around.

After a double floors on the 3rd, a Bogey and the 4th and another on the 6th, Westwood was four to six years old and had fallen down the ranking.

“I looked around on the golf course and said, oh, my god, where I will make a few birdies to bring this again in half a decent,” said Westwood, who is 52 years old after his round.

But these thoughts quickly dissolved.

After missing the last two open championships after he had decided not to qualify, the Englishman is soaked at every moment of his favorite tournament. Be it Birdie or Bogey, cleaned iron or Duff -chip, Westwood is determined not to leave his piece boring the art that is created by the combination of the northern Irish landscape, historical crowds and history.

“That's why I was really not so disappointed when I was four to 6 years old because I thought it was the open championship.” It makes no sense to be four over six and be sweaty and unhappy and think: “This year is my open championship chance.” You could just as enjoy the surroundings, enjoy the feedback of the crowd because you are great and just try to get out of my swing. And why I was four to six years old, turn them around. “

The co-captain of the Majesticks did just that.

He made a birdie on the Par-5 7, but he Bogy the 8th to go out in 40.

Then Westwood said his wife Helen, who is his caddy, offered him half a tuna -sandwich on the 10th t -shirt. It hit the place.

Westwood looked like Wold No. 1, which he was once – pour in pens and putts to extinguish his dark opening stanza.

He brewed 10, 11 and 12. He voted 13 and then put his approach to one meter on the 14th. He rolled a 23-foot fighter for Birdie for Birdie on the 15th. His bladder attacks from nine had him on the abyss of the Open Championship story. He needed a closing bird at 18 to become the first player in 153 iterations of the open to shoot 28 back to the nine.

Only Westwood had no idea.

“I have just written down a lot of three on my scorecard and said:” It is going well, “he said with a giggle after the round.” I didn't even know what I had to get down for the last time. “

Westwood met his approach to 15 feet and gave himself a good shot to etch his name in golf history. His play partner Sam Burns had a similar putt, and Westwood watched how it went towards the hole and died to the right and in the end.

The Englishman, who has sniffed several major championship reasons over the years, rolled in and thought he met it in his heart. But in the last second, Westwoods Putt switched to the left and burned the edge. A TAP-in-PAR meant that Westwood Ryan Fox came home as the only two players who came home at the open at Royal Portrush.

“It was good back, was it? The putt was in the last, I am not sure how it is missing,” said Westwood, after shooting 69, to get into the house at five under. “I just started making good swings of 7. Then I looked at Wow, I have the feeling that I could birdie birden. Shows that you have to be patient and never give up, right.

“Patience is sometimes the key, and 52 years old, I have a lot of knowledge of my golf swing, and I found it out quickly.”

Westwood said he did not know his potential history until he picks up his score with burns after the round and tearing the “29” on the board. He didn't know how high his burned edge was at the age of 18, and he was not upset that a place was denied that was only open history.

“No. I wasn't so disturbed. I had taken 29 on the back nine, was on the 10th tee,” said Westwood with the smile of a man who has complete control over his golf ball in the last three hours of the round on Saturday.

“I knew that I was playing well. I somehow had a cord and hit the right places. It's nice to play Golf if you don't think.”

Westwood converted a potential tensile back on Saturday for the open recordbooks. This sparkling 29 will have first place in ninth place on Sunday and four shots of fourth place. A TOP 10 finish guarantees Westwood a trip back to the open opened Open next year in Royal Birkdale, which is one of his favorite courses in the world. A top-four finish would bring him a ticket for all four majors in 2026.

But none of this will come to mind on Sunday on Sunday along the coast of Northern Ireland.

Westwood does not think about what comes next – the future has not occurred since it has been left in Royal Portrush Medal since he made Dundonald Dundonald. Westwood will only be in the light of the open championship, a warmth that cannot be duplicated, and one that he wants to feel again.

On Sunday for Westwood it is about life at the moment. He will not step on the tea to imagine a day when he is going crazy and steals the title of a stumbling scottie Scheffler. He neither annoyed a bad chip nor a missed putt that leads to reducing large trips in 2026.

“I didn't set any goals for this week,” said Westwood.

Westwood, one of the aging lions from Golf, will make another loop around the open championship on Sunday and not think about a potential 91st career start in Birkdale next year, but about the golf happiness that will only be delivered four days a year.

“I just said that it is the best walk in the Golf, the walk to the 18th green in the open,” said Westwood.

It is a walk that he will do at least again.