What they said: Lee Westwood

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Q. A blistering start?

LEE WESTWOOD: Yeah, it was a good start. I played well all day really. The conditions got a little bit tougher as the round went on. Some difficult flags out there but I got off to a flyer, 5 under through seven. I holed a nice one at the first from about 25 feet; got on to the second in two; pretty much stiffed it on 3. Holed it from 15 feet on 5. Stiffed it again on 7. Hit a great putt on 6, could have made birdie there. Great putt on 8.

So I could have been out in 7 under, but five obviously was really good. Made a couple of good saves around the back nine.

Bogeyed 15, which was playing tough today. Great bunker shot on 16 from the left hand trap from about 40 yards to five feet, which is what I've been working on a lot recently. And then good birdie at the last. Hit a great drive and got a little bit lucky with the second shot, like a half shank with a 6 iron, and just carried on the front there.

And then a nice 2 putt, so it was good to finish with two birdies in the last three holes because I wanted to get to double figures for tomorrow.

Q. Is there a marked improvement on the two previous days?

LEE WESTWOOD: Not really. Just made a couple more putts today. I felt like I was lacking a bit of rhythm in my stroke the first couple of days, and Billy said it looked a bit like putting by numbers. Tried to free it up today and a bit more rhythm and let the putter flow and rolled a few in. Made a few nice 3 , 4 , 5 footers when I needed to to make some momentum going.

Q. Did you think you still had a chance if you got a low one?

LEE WESTWOOD: Well, I was 12 behind with ten to go two years ago and got in a playoff. So I figure that seven behind with two rounds to go, I ought to have a bit better chance.

Q. Do you tell yourself that going into it?

LEE WESTWOOD: Well, I know what's capable around this golf course. I know if I play well, it's the type of golf course that I can shoot a low score around it. It suits my eye, suits my game, and I also know that if I start missing fairways and missing greens, you can shoot 73, 74, 75. So you know, this is a golf course that you can make up a lot of shots over a round.

Q. What is it about the course that suits your eye?

LEE WESTWOOD: I don't know what it is really. I like the tee shots. If there's a tee shot I don't like, there's a really simple way of playing the hole. I like the greens. I seem to be able to read the greens pretty well. And I like the speed of the greens that they get them to. This is a nice pace.

Q. You said all year about the benefit of having Billy Foster of on your bag, caddie of the year I understand after last night?

LEE WESTWOOD: Yeah, got the Caddie of the Year Award last night, presented by me ironically. With a caddie like him on the bag, you wouldn't expect anything like a 65, would you, and he had a lot to live up to today.

Q. Tell me what makes him a good caddie.

LEE WESTWOOD: We get on really well. He's caddied for a lot of good players, so he's got a lot of experience. He's been in the heat of the battle a lot. And even though he's not caddied for me, before this partnership started, he's watched my game a lot over the years having caddied for Darren, and it was almost like going to a caddie that already knew my game. So that's been an easy transition.

Q. As Caddie of the Year, he's done some good charity work this year, hasn't he?

LEE WESTWOOD: Yeah, I think it's been well documented the charity work he's done this year, raising 65,000 for his walk between Loch Lomond and Turnberry. It's a difficult walk at the best of the times, but to stick a golf bag on your back doesn't make it any easier, does it. He's a nice guy and that's just the sort of thing he does.

Q. He's not persuaded you to do the same next year?

LEE WESTWOOD: I think I do enough walking. I do little bits for charity here and there, the Children's Hospital of Sheffield and various other charities. There's a time when I do that. But I can't see me doing any long walks in the near future.

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