Westwood ready to tee off UK Swing as Betfred British Masters host

Lee Westwood to host and enter as one of the favorites to take the title at British Masters, which marks the beginning of the European Tour’s UK Swing.

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Lee Westwood must be credited to Getty Images

This week’s Betfred British Masters hosted by Lee Westwood marks the beginning of the European Tour’s UK Swing, and former World Number One Westwood enters the week not only as tournament host but also as one of the favorites to take the title.

The Ryder Cup legend claimed his 25th European Tour win earlier this season at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship presented by EGA, meaning he boasts victories across four decades on tour. The 47-year-old is the first person to host the Betfred British Masters twice following his first stint in 2017 and has one eye on another double this week – winning the event for the second time.

Hosting duties will take on a very different complexion now for Westwood, with stringent health and safety measures in place at Close House, near Newcastle Upon Tyne, and no fans present due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the evergreen Englishman is delighted to be back playing competitively for the first time in five months.

Westwood has been on a strict health regime and has never felt fitter, so he will be a force to be reckoned with at his home course.

Eddie Pepperell, who won this event in 2018, has also benefited from a health kick during the lockdown in the UK and is feeling ‘quietly confident’ upon his return while defending champion Marcus Kinhult is another player feeling comfortable with his game having enjoyed plenty of practice over the past four months.

European Tour Release