Lee Westwood hasn’t won on the European Tour or anywhere else in more than four years.
That all came to a dramatic end Sunday in Sun City South Africa.
Westwood played one of the best final rounds of his career and put an end to that winless streak. His final round 64 blew past overnight leader Sergio Garcia and early challenger Louie Oosthuizen and bagged a 43rd world-wide win at the Nedbank Challenge for the 45-year-old Englishman.
“I’m a bit emotional,” he declared afterward as tears flowed freely down his face. “Until now, my emotions were in control all day.”
What was also in control was his golf game. Westwood hit fairways and greens and the club that has held him back so often — the putter — came through in a big way.
Garcia, who had an uninspiring performance on Saturday, had another on Sunday and that allowed home country favorite Louie Oosthuizen to charge past him and take the lead early on the back nine.
Oosthuizen got to 14-under through 13 holes and Westwood was battling him tooth and nail. The big swing of the tournament happened as the former Open champion was on the 15th green and Westwood was on the putting surface up ahead at 16. Oosthuizen three-putted from the back fringe to fall back to 13-under while Westwood holed an 18-footer to get to 14. Westy then dropped another birdie from 10 feet at the 17th to turn up the heat on Oosthuizen.
The South African ran out of birdies and made double-bogey at the 72nd hole, trying to reach the green from a near impossible spot near the scoreboards deep in the right rough. He’d finish third at 11-under (69), a shot behind Garcia (70).
It was a magical ending for Westwood, who had girlfriend Helen Storey on the bag all week. In the end it was kisses and champagne.
