AUGUSTA, Ga. – Lee Westwood has collected a lifetime of memories in his 19 starts at the Masters, but it was a recent practice round that seemed to create a truly lasting memory.
Following his runner-up showing at last month’s Players Championship, Westwood and his son, Sam, played a practice round at Augusta National to prepare for the Masters, where Sam will step in to caddie for Westwood.
85th Masters Tournament: Full-field tee times | Full coverage
“It’s a special place, and to get to share it with Sam was amazing,” Westwood said.
Westwood said he made Sam play from the tournament tees and he set a scoring goal (86) for the first round that Sam fell short of. For the duo’s second round he lowered that target score to 83.
“It was cold. It was 45 degrees and windy, and the greens were fast, and he doubled 16 to go 10 over, and then he bogeyed 17 to go 11 over, and then he chipped in from short right on the last for a [birdie] to shoot 82,” Westwood smiled. “He took the $20 that morning, and he’s never stopped talking about it since. He tells everybody about his chip-in.”
Westwood, who will turn 48 later this month, said he’s making the most of the opportunity to have his son on the bag at such an important event and that both he and his son are savoring the week.
“It’s amazing that I’m old enough to have my son on the bag and still be competing in these tournaments and having Sam here to enjoy the experience with me,” Westwood said. “I have to close his mouth every now and again when we’re going around here; he loves it so much.”