For anyone who follows the comings and goings of professional golf, Lee Westwood’s name pops up from time to time. Over the years, he has demonstrated his ability to play to level golf only to quietly fade into the background. With 44 world wide wins to his credit and 10 Ryder Cup appearances, Westwood is a well known name in golf circles. Yet until recently, he was in the background where he was given some token recognition with no real expectations from any of the fans. Now, he is on top of the golfing world and our expectations have risen exponentially as we wait to see what he does next.

During Westwood’s 26 year career, he broke into the top 10 world ranking eight times and was ranked number one in 2010. The rest of the time, he bounced between 25 and 60. So his sparks of greatness were over shadowed by his quiet, mediocre performances. Having never won a Major is another stat that announcers like to bring up, but I am not really surprised considering his track record.

Pushing all the stats aside because they do not always tell the real picture, Lee Westwood is at the top of the golfing world at this time. At least popularity wise, he is a bit more than a household name. Anytime a 47 year old can finish second two weeks in a row (Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players Championship) warrants some attention. It was not because he was in the final group on Sunday, but the effort he put forth showed that grinding on every hole does producing positive results.

The aspect of Westwood’s increase fame at this time is his likeability. He comes across as a nice guy who you would like to have a beer with after the round. Or at least that is what most of the respondents said:

Which of the following professional golfers, who played in #theplayerschampionship , would you like to play a round of golf with? #golfchat

— The Grateful Golfer (@TheGratefulGolf) March 16, 2021

At this moment, I would suggest that Lee Westwood is on top of the golfing world. He may not be the big winner, but his steady, journeyman’s play has captured the attention of many fans. His professional and gentlemanly approach to golf is a popular trait that most amateurs gravitate towards. Personally, I would love to play a round of golf with him and have a beer after at the 19th hole. It would be a fun and relaxing way to spend an afternoon.

It will be interesting to see how long Westwood stays in the limelight. I am sure he is not worried about it because it would seem counter to his demeanour. Regardless, it has been fun cheering Westwood on in the final rounds of the last two events. I wish him continued good fortune and look forward to him winning this year on tour.

I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!