Golf: Wearying week for Westwood

IN THEIR different ways, Colin Montgomerie and Lee Westwood are counting the price of their success. Montgomerie did not play well enough to contend at the 98th US Open. "You can't do anything half-wrong or you are in problem," he said.

But his week was marred by the heckling he received from a few individuals who seemed determined to bait the man who secured the winning point for Europe at last September's Ryder Cup. "I seem to be blamed for Europe winning," he said.

Westwood, whose seventh place finish was his best in a major championship, has gone down well in America but his decision to pull out of this week's Western Open in Lemont, Illinois was not received favourably by the tournament director of the event. "It's an outrage," Greg McLaughlin said. "It is a total slap in the face to the PGA Tour and the other players. If they are allowed to pull out of tournaments on a Sunday on the European Tour, no wonder sponsors are fleeing."

McLaughlin, who has also lost Ernie Els and David Duval from his tournament, said he received a voicemail message stating Westwood and Darren Clarke had withdrawn from their manager, Andrew Chandler. "Neither are welcome at the Western period," McLaughlin said.

Chandler said: "If there is flak to take, I'll take it. Both have played six weeks in a row and been in contention for most of them, but we didn't realise how much this week would take out of them. It was a misjudgement and we are learning all the time."

Westwood backed up that view, saying: "I am mentally drained and looking forward to some time off. It is probably better preparation for the British Open to play two weeks in Europe beforehand."

Another consideration is that Westwood is now top of the European money list and by adding the Irish Open next week, for which he will now need a sponsor's invitation because he had not previously entered, he is looking to maintain that position.

After being six over after two rounds, Westwood dropped only one more shot over the weekend, a performance which meant he rose 31 places over the last 36 holes. Not the least impressive part of Westwood's play was the way he ground out the pars on the back nine, which he played in level par for the week.

"After a top-10 here I am looking forward to the British Open," he said. "I just didn't make enough birdies this week."

Part of Westwood's strategy was to stick with his driver, while others took the club out of their bags. "If you have an advantage, why give it away," said Westwood's coach, Peter Cowen. For the second year running the 25-year-old topped the driving accuracy statistic, this time tied with Steve Stricker.

"The only thing he hasn't done this week is to have a bit of luck," Cowen said. "There was too much luck involved this week." Indeed, the destination of the title turned on two incidents. At the fifth hole, Lee Janzen's ball fell down from a tree before he had got back to the tee to play another ball. He then chipped in to save par and the coincidences with his victory at Baltusrol in 1993 were mounting up.

"Payne Stewart, a tree, a chip-in, where have I heard that before," Janzen thought to himself. Having had bogeys at the second and third holes, Janzen was seven behind Stewart but then played the next 15 holes in four under. At the 12th hole, Stewart's tee shot ended in a sand-filled divot and his second found a bunker. Having deliberated over the shot, he was told by an official he had been given a bad timing.

Stewart bogeyed the hole to fall into a tie with Janzen and then failed to get up and down from a bunker at the 16th. "I did not play well enough to win," Stewart, who started with a four-shot advantage. "But Lee played outstandingly well. He was the only one of the leaders to break 70 and he hit 12 fairways to my six and 14 greens to my nine."

"My greatest emotion right now is of complete satisfaction," Janzen said. "I went out and played my absolute best in the championship I love the most. To win the US Open twice, I can't do any better than that. There are plenty of golfers who are better than me but that's the best I can do."

Janzen has a reputation of playing tough courses, and none come harder than Olympic last week with the winner the only man to match par for 72 holes. "The confidence will always be there that I can play tough courses well," he said.

He was also helped by Dave Musgrove, his British caddie. A former draughtsman with Rolls Royce, Musgrove has now guided three players to major victories. The pair have worked together since the end of 1993. "Having won majors with Seve Ballesteros and Sandy Lyle I knew he could do nothing but help me," Janzen said. "The first time he caddied for me was at the Scottish and British Opens and I didn't understand a word he said for two weeks but I thought he was the greatest caddie. I can't say enough about Dave."

US OPEN (San Francisco) Final scores (US unless stated): 280 L Janzen 73 66 73 68. 281 P Stewart 66 71 70 74. 284 B Tway 68 70 73 73. 285 N Price (Zim) 73 68 71 73. 286 T Lehman 68 75 68 75; St Stricker 73 71 69 73. 287 D Duval 75 68 75 69; L Westwood (GB) 72 74 70 71; J Maggert 69 69 75 74. 288 J Sluman 72 74 74 68; P Mickelson 71 73 74 70; S Appleby (Aus) 73 74 70 71; S Cink 73 68 73 74. 289 P Azinger 75 72 77 65; J Parnevik (Swe) 69 74 76 70; M Kuchar 70 69 76 74; J Furyk 74 73 68 74. 290 C Montgomerie (GB) 70 74 77 69, L Roberts 71 76 71 72; T Woods 74 72 71 73; F Lickliter 73 71 72 74; J M Olazabal (Sp) 68 77 71 74. 291 C Martin 74 71 74 72; G Day 73 72 71 75. 292 E Romero (Arg) 72 70 76 74; D A Weibring 72 72 75 73; P-U Johansson (Swe) 71 75 73 73; V Singh (Fiji) 73 72 73 74; C Perry 74 71 72 75; T Bjorn (Den) 72 75 70 75; M Carnevale 67 73 74 78. 293 M O'Meara 70 76 78 69; P Harrington (Irl) 73 72 76 72; S Pate 72 75 73 73; B Zabriski 74 71 74 74; J Durant 68 73 76 76; J Huston 73 72 72 76; C Dimarco 71 71 74 77; L Porter 72 67 76 78. 294 J Leonard 71 75 77 71; S McCarron 72 73 77 72; F Nobilo (NZ) 76 67 76 75. 295 D Clarke (GB) 74 72 77 72; T Kite 70 75 76 74; J Acosta 73 72 76 74; J Sindelar 71 75 75 74; O Browne 73 70 77 75; J Nicklaus 73 74 73 75. 296 E Els (SA) 75 70 75 76; M Reid 76 70 73 77; S Verplank 74 72 73 77; B Faxon 73 68 76 79. 297 J Johnson 74 73 79 71; F Couples 72 75 79 71; T Herron 75 72 77 73; J Daly 69 75 75 78. 298 M Brooks 75 71 76 76. 300 S Simpson 72 71 78 79. 303 R Walcher 77 70 77 79. 305 T Sipula 75 71 78 81.