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Lee Westwood in hunt to end 31-year wait after capitalising on $1m LIV boost

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Lee Westwood in hunt to end 31-year wait after capitalising on m LIV boost

Lee Westwood finished tied-third at LIV Golf’s recent tournament in Nashville and made an impressive start to the US Senior Open in Newport, Rhode Island, on Thursday

Lee Westwood is aiming to win the US Senior Open(Getty Images)

Lee Westwood has made a superb start to the US Senior Open, shooting a round of 66 at Newport Country Club on Thursday to sit on four-under-par for the tournament.

Westwood, 51, is playing in his first-ever senior major in Rhode Island this week. The LIV Golf star has enjoyed a glittering career in professional golf, having won 25 times on the DP World Tour (European Tour) as a three-time Race to Dubai winner.




The seven-time Ryder Cup champion has also won on the PGA Tour, and he topped the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) in 2010 to end Tiger Woods’ reign as world No.1. Yet Westwood has never won a major championship, finishing as runner-up three times.

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Westwood’s chances of winning one of golf’s four men’s majors – the Masters, the PGA Championship, the US Open and the Open Championship – were dashed after he joined LIV in 2022. As LIV events don’t offer OWGR points, he’s plummeted down the rankings.

Westwood is now ranked 1,444th in the world and hasn’t played in a major since 2022. Yet he now qualifies for the PGA Tour Champions circuit after turning 50, allowing him to take part in this year’s US Senior Open and make a bright start.

The Englishman finds himself on four-under-par alongside fellow European golf icon Padraig Harrington, who won this tournament two years ago. Westwood is a few shots behind early leaders Hiroyuki Fujita and Richard Green, but there’s still plenty of golf left to play.

There are five majors on the PGA Tour Champions circuit, including the Senior US Open. The other four big events are the Tradition, Senior PGA Championship, Senior Players Championship and the Senior Open – with the latter two taking place next month.

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