This interview is taken in part from the the best golf magazine not on the internet, FORE!. Subscriptions can be gained by contacting them at Fore!, Bretton Court, Bretton, Peterborough, PE3 8DZ, or phone 01858 468888.
Lee, you and the twenty-somethings are taking centre stage, aren't you?
Golf used to be known as an old man's game. But Tiger Woods and Nick Faldo have made it glamorous. People who to say it's boring probably have never played before.
So what would you say was the reason for the youth revelation?
It's just a cycle. Faldo, Langer, Ballesteros, Torrance, Woosie, Lyle, they're all about the same age and came along at the same time. Now we're coming through. Tiger and I are probably the youngest.
Some say that you're the white Tiger Woods. Do you feel you are head to head with him?
The media hype it up to sell more papers, don't they? I think in the days of Palmer and Nicklaus thare were only 50 players out of 150 who were capable of winning. Today I think there are over 100. But it would be great if after all the duels of the past that Tiger and I had some sort of healthy rivalry.
When is Westwood-mania going to break out?
I certainly won't be hyping it up and I won't be getting my management team to hype it up either.
Do you think that's what Tiger's doing?
Well, I think so, yeah. The American public hype him up too, calling him a phenomenon and stuff. He's not a phenomenon, just a very, very, good player. I wouldn't want Tiger's life. I can go out for adrink in Worksop and I'm not bothered by anyone, and that's how I like it.
Are you concentrating on winning Majors like Nick Faldo says he is?
I want to win Majors but you'd be stupid to concentrate your whole year on 4 weeks. What happens if you're ill? I treat each tournament the same. I like to win.
Did you talk to Tiger at the Ryder Cup?
I got on well with him, he's a nice lad.
And Faldo?
How noisy was it?
What's it like bringing the English and Scottish together, being with Laurae (Laurae is tour pro Andrew Coltart's sister. She is also very, very, short!)
You're friends with Andrew but is there much national rivalry?
Laurae says you're so laid back you're almost horizontal.
What did your school reports ay about you?
Lee shows potential but could try harder. I didn't enjoy it much. PE was my favourite subject. Like most kids I wanted to be a footballer, but from about 16 I wanted to be a golfer.
Maybe you could have played for Nottingham forest?
That'd have been nice. I trained with them last yearand scored five penalties from five against Dave Beasant!
You own a horse, don't you?
Well, a hoof. Or something like that. I'm in a syndicate with Darren Clarke, my manager (Andrew Chubby Chandler) and a couple of others. I think I own the bit that keeps coming in last! The lumpsout of it's arse end!!! We have a differant horse each year. Hopping Higgins was the one we had last year. We don't get much money out of it, it'd just a bit of fun.
