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• Englishman insists move to America has paid off.
• Made the move with his family at the start of 2013.
• “Certainly the last couple of years, I’m a lot less jet-lagged.”
• 41-year-old is playing the CIMB Classic in Malaysia this week.

LEE WESTWOOD | CIMB CLASSIC

Lee Westwood says that re-locating to the USA has been a ‘good move’.

The Englishman surprised many people when he uprooted his family from their Worksop base early in 2013 to move to Florida.

However, it’s a move that the 41-year-old two-time PGA Tour winner says has paid off.

“Certainly the last couple of years, I’ve been a lot less jet lagged,” said the Ryder Cup star. “When I was playing in America playing the PGA Tour, I was back and forth a lot more.

“Obviously, living in Florida makes that a lot easier, and the times when I want to practice and do most of my work at home, the weather is fantastic down in Florida. It cools down and there are great practice facilities. The greens are running fast and as quick as I would see when I play on the tour. It’s been a good move.”

On the point of jetlag, Westwood, who is playing in this week’s CIMB Classic in Malaysia, added: “I don’t think there’s any real way to get over jet lag. I think certainly I can testify to it, and there’s no simple way to get over it other than time really. But yeah, I would imagine if you don’t travel much, then it comes as a bit of a shock with a 12‑hour time change from the east coast of America.”

“I don’t think anybody could have dreamt the PGA Tour would be playing events outside of America 20 years ago.” – Lee Westwood

The CIMB Classic is a co-sanctioned event between the Asian Tour and the PGA Tour, which has been running since 2010. Westwood, who won in Malaysia on the European Tour earlier this year, seems pleased to see the world’s richest golf circuit spreading its wings.

“I don’t think anybody could have dreamt the PGA Tour would be playing events outside of America and certainly in places like Malaysia and China 20 years ago,” he added. “The golf courses have improved dramatically. The purses have improved dramatically. Through that, the quality of the Asian golfers themselves has improved. You’ve got people like Matsuyama and Seung-Yul Noh and people like that playing on the Tour and winning.

“I think that all sort of snowballed, and the PGA Tour and people like that realise that there’s an emerging market, and it’s a great place to come and play.”

Lee Westwood :: Can he still win a major?

Widely regarded as one of the best players never to win a major, Lee Westwood is going into 2015 having largely rediscovered his form. Does that make him a threat in golf’s ‘big four’ next year? Leave your thoughts in our ‘Comments’ section below.

 

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Michael McEwan is the Deputy Editor of bunkered and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Deputy Editor

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