21 Things You Didn’t Know About Lee Westwood

Lee Westwood won his 24th European Tour title at the Nedbank Golf Challenge in 2018 and is undoubtedly one of the finest golfers England has ever produced.

He’s had a stellar 2021 so far too, with runner-up finishes at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Players Championship.

Get to know the Englishman a little better with these 21 facts…

21 Things You Didn’t Know About Lee Westwood

1 Westwood’s best Ryder Cup was in 2004 at Oakland Hills Country Club where he produced 4.5 points out of 5.

2 His middle name is John

3 Became world number one in October 2010 knocking Tiger Woods off the top. He held the top position for a total of 22 weeks and was first English golfer to do so since Faldo.

4 He is the European player that has played in the most Ryder Cup winning teams ever, with 7.

5 He has secured 23 points across ten Ryder Cups.

6 On the European Tour, he won his first two playoffs in tournaments in 1996 and 1998. He then lost his next 5, one a year from 2007 to 2011.

7 Westwood has an OBE which was awarded in the 2011 Birthday honours list.

Westwood knocked Tiger off the top spot in the world rankings in 2010 (Getty Images)

8 Westwood is a big fan of Nottingham Forest and also sponsors his semi-pro team Worksop Town FC.

9 Westwood was married to Laurae Coltart, the sister of Scottish Ryder Cup player Andrew Coltart. They divorced in 2015.

10 They have two children together, Sam and Poppy.

11 He received an honorary degree of Doctor of Science from Nottingham Trent University.

12 The 45-year-old is regarded as one of the best players never to win a Major.

Related: 8 Best Players Never To Win A Major

13 Westwood started playing golf when he was 13 and turned pro when he was 20.

14 He has made 14 straight cuts in Major Championships. The last one he missed was at the 2014 Open Championship.

15 His current girlfriend is Helen Storey who has caddied for him numerous times including at the Masters Par 3 Contest and in his Nedbank Golf Challenge victory.

16 He is attached to Close House Golf Club near Newcastle where he hosted the British Masters in 2017.

17 He turned pro in 1993 off a handicap of plus four.

18 Cites his interests as films, snooker and cars.

19 He has been a Ping staff player for his entire career.

20 He played rugby, cricket and football as a child.

21 His son, Sam Westwood, has caddied for him a number of times, including at the 2o21 Honda Classic and the 2021 Masters