The Open Championship is only a few weeks away, and the hype around Royal Portrush is booming. With the final field still trickling in, players are grinding through qualifiers, hoping to punch their ticket to golf’s oldest major.
Earlier this week, Sergio Garcia secured his spot in dramatic fashion, and now another LIV Golf veteran has joined the party. Lee Westwood, in what might be the most remarkable comeback of the season, will take part.
Westwood, 52, has not played a major since 2022. Had he missed out this year, it would’ve marked his third straight absence from The Open, a tournament he’s called “the greatest championship in golf.”
But on Tuesday, he delivered when it mattered most. Competing at Dundonald Links in Scotland, Westwood fired rounds of 70 and 67, finishing at 7-under 137 to top the Final Qualifying leaderboard.
The performance earned him one of five coveted spots from the venue and marked his 92nd career major start.
“I’ve always said it’s the greatest championship in golf,” Westwood told reporters after sealing his place.
“As a British player, you get phenomenal support. I’m just looking forward to enjoying the week at Portrush, seeing a few old friends and enjoying that golf course.”
Lee Westwood will be at Royal Portrush after posting -7 in Open Final Qualifying at Dundonald.A different class today. pic.twitter.com/kqlnjK9mOq
— John Turnbull (@JohnTurnbull03) July 1, 2025
This return means more than just another tee time. Westwood has played 27 times at The Open, making 21 cuts, with six top-10 finishes and a runner-up in 2010.
His last appearance at Royal Portrush was in 2019, where he tied for fourth, nine shots behind winner Shane Lowry.
The road back wasn’t easy. After wrapping up LIV Golf Dallas, Westwood flew overnight to Scotland, battling jet lag and fatigue.
“I’ve been up since half-past one this morning,” he admitted, “so I was starting to feel it.”
But grit won out, and the former World No. 1 now joins fellow LIV qualifiers Sergio Garcia, Lucas Herbert, and Dean Burmester in the 156-player field. The Open Championship begins on July 17th.
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