Dubai, Jan 21: There has been much speculation on how Lee Westwood was going to celebrate his win at thee Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship on Sunday. After having revealed that he told himself that it would be ‘Dry January’, till at least the end of the Saudi International, he was now confronted with a situation that might demand him sticking to sparkling water on Sunday with the Abu Dhabi HSBC Trophy resting on his table.
Westwood revealed that he did have some drinks. He laughed and said, “I think because I had not had a drink for nearly two weeks, it affected many he really quickly. So I was a really cheap date for somebody. After about four beers, I felt I was flying.
“I just went to the sports bar and watched Liverpool beat Man United with Thomas Björn, so he was pleased. A few beers, a few pints of Guinness. Went back around 3.00 for a chicken shawarma some chips, watching the 49ers.”
“It was a perfect day, really, round of golf and watching the 49ers get into the Super Bowl.”
As was only to be expected, there were messages from hundreds of friends and Westwood was thrilled. “All of them, really. Anybody who’s texted me, they are all my friends and they obviously are all very special. Everybody from Gary Player and Greg Norman to Ronan Keating and Robbie Williams. It’s a fairly broad spectrum of friends I’ve got. You know, got like 150 WhatsApps to reply to, 70 text messages and 30 e-mails. I love all the congratulations, but by the end, I was sending the thumbs-up back (laughing).
“No, it’s great. I’ve got a lot of good friends, friends from years ago when I was at school sending me e-mails, and that’s really nice.”
In Abu Dhabi, when asked how he would celebrate his 25thEuropean Tour win, Westwood, 47, spoke about his trip to Thailand around thee end of last year and said, “I didn’t take my clubs to Thailand. I had no intention of playing golf there. I was just there to relax and a lot of sleeping, and I did have a couple of glasses of rosé and a couple of beers.
“After Thailand, I decided to do ‘Dry January’, which right now seems a massive mistake (laughter) and I’ll do really well to get through tonight without a drink. Everybody’s offering me one, but I’ve held out so far. Normally you’d see me with a glass of champagne or Corona in hand, but I’ve managed not to have a drink so far.”
I’ll give you an update tomorrow whether I’m still committed to the cause. But I would like to. I would like to get right through the next two weeks and then we’ll see. I’m trying to lose a bit of weight, so I can’t really drink.”
It seems he did have to break that ‘promise’ he made to himself. But the way he played, he deserved all the beers, and no is grudging him that.
Read also:
Westwood on staying ‘dry’, hardwork, winning in four decades, playing the Majors and the Ryder Cup
Sharma flounders in final round; winner Westwood to celebrate win with sparkling water
