WORLD NUMBER THREE Lee Westwood is moving to the United States to increase his chances of winning a first major.
Westwood, whose 10th-place finish at the US Open was his 57th attempt to win a major, says the move at the end of the year will give him the best chance of staying at the top.
“With our weather it is hard to practise when you want to practise in the UK,” he said. ”There are a number of reasons, but the main one is I haven’t got that much time left at the top and I want to give myself the best chance of staying there as long as I can.”
The Ryder Cup star still intends to retain his European Tour membership. His US Open hopes effectively ended when he lost a ball in a tree on the fifth hole of his final round.
Westwood was in joint-third spot, three strokes behind Jim Furyk, at the time. It was his 14th top-10 finish in majors, including seven top-three placings.
World number one Luke Donald has been based in Chicago since his college days, Justin Rose and Ian Poulter moved their families to Florida, Paul Casey lives in Arizona, Rory McIlroy rejoined the PGA Tour this year following his US Open victory and Graeme McDowell also divides his time between the US and Europe.
Meanwhile, US Open winner Webb Simpson says he does not know if he will be taking part in the year’s next major – The Open Championship at Royal Lytham. The tournament starts in a month and Simpson’s wife Dowd is expecting their second child in six weeks.
“Officially I don’t know yet. The next eight weeks are going to be up in the air,” he said. Meanwhile, Scotland’s Royal Troon will host The Open Championship in 2016, 12 years after it was last held there.
The Open will be held in Scotland three times in four years, beginning with Muirfield in 2013, St Andrews in 2015 and Royal Troon 12 months later. Another Scottish course, Gleneagles, will host the Ryder Cup in 2014.
