Lee Westwood is back at the SJM Macao Open – 26 years after he raised the trophy – and credits playing in the region regularly with helping him to become one of his country’s greatest players.

“Asia tested me,” said the Englishman today, two-days before the US$1million events tees-off at Macau Golf & Country Club.

“I needed to adapt – to the grass and heat. It made me improve quickly. It’s nice to be back. A lot has changed, I have changed, the city has changed.”

He is part of an elite line-up of marquee names competing that includes China’s Haotong Li, Sungjae Im from Korea, Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho and the defending champion Rattanon Wannasrichan from Thailand.

He added: “I didn’t get a chance to defend my title after 1999, although played in 2001. My form is good; I am starting to play really well.

Lee Westwood. 

“I have been putting in some low scores, shooting some mid-60 rounds. I am looking forward to the week.”

His performances of late, particularly on the LIV Golf League, suggest he may be a threat this week.

At LIV Golf Virginia, in June, he returned a stunning final round nine-under-par 62 to tie for 10^th.

The following month in The Open at Royal Portrush he caught fire on the back nine shooting a six-under-par 29 to become only the second player to do so in the 153-year history of the game’s oldest Major. He eventually finished tied 34^th, in an event he has finished in the top-five on five occasions, including second in 2010.

And at LIV Golf Indianapolis he closed with rounds of 65 and 66 over the weekend for a top-20 finish.

It is impressive for a player aged 52 and just the right preparation as he attempts to win his 10^th event in Asia at the SJM Macao Open. His most recent win on the Tour was at the Indonesian Masters 10 years ago – an event he has won three times.

“I pride myself in the fact that in my career I have won in more countries than anybody else and Macau is a very special tournament to have won,” he said.

Lee Westwood.

“It was at the start of my career. I was amassing a lot of wins back then; in ‘98 and ‘99 and 2000 I won 20 tournaments. It was a very special time.”

He beat American Andrew Pitts, now part of the events team at the Asian Tour, in a sudden-death play-off to win in 1999. The total purse that year was US$200,000 and he picked up a cheque for US$32,300. This week the champion will win slightly more: US$180,000.

“The game of golf, certainly professional golf, has always been an adventure to me. I have got to play the best courses in the world, against the best players and I wanted to do it all over the world. I didn’t want to stick to one country. I wanted to play all around the world. I enjoy travelling, getting to know different cultures. I have embraced it,” he explained.

It will also be a family affair this week for the former world number as his wife Helen will be caddying for him, and his son Sam has received an invitation to play.

It will be a tournament within a tournament for the Westwoods, with Westwood senior up for a challenge, saying: “Dads dont like losing to sons.”

Pictures by Paul Lakatos/IMG.