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• Lee Westwood ‘very keen’ on taking British Masters up north
• Close House would be the Englishman’s preferred destination
• The 42-year-old is the attached pro at the Northumberland venue
Lee Westwood has raised hopes of taking the British Masters to the north of England when it becomes his turn to host the returning European Tour event.
The 23-time European Tour winner is attached to the Close House resort in Northumberland, 15 minutes from Newcastle City Centre, and hinted prior to this week’s British Masters that he’d be keen to take it there, where both courses at the venue endorse his name.
“I’m very keen on it” – Lee Westwood
“A lot of things have to be taken into consideration obviously,” said Lee Westwood, who became Close House’s official attached tour professional in 2011. “There’s plenty of land around the outside, so I don’t see any reason why not. The M1 is five minutes from there, so it’s pretty easy to get to as well. I’m very keen on it.”
Lee Westwood is at Woburn GC this week for the first British Masters since 2008 – hosted by Ian Poulter – and admits he doesn’t know what year he’s hosting the event, with fellow Englishmen Justin Rose and Luke Donald also tournament hosts.
CONTINUES BELOW…
“I don’t know when I’m hosting it,” he said. “I thought I was hosting it in 2017 but somebody mentioned I might not be doing it that year now. I think that it’s sort of coming together.
“I would certainly like to see the golf tournament held in the north of England. It’s been a long time since anything has been held sort of north of Birmingham, really.
“There’s certainly a void that the tournament should in my opinion fill” – Lee Westwood
“We have a lot of good golf courses and the golfing public up there are keen on golf and should be given the opportunity to go and watch top-quality golf. There’s certainly a void that the tournament should, in my opinion, fill.”
The championship Lee Westwood Colt course at Close House opened in 2011, with the 42-year-old immediately stating that the venue ‘has the capability of staging a major tournament in the years to come’. It soon went within the top 100 ranked courses in England and in May this year, it played host to its biggest event yet, the ISPS Handa PGA Seniors Championship, which was won by Peter Fowler.
Lee Westwood :: British Masters up north?
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