Lee Westwood’s Christmas vacation is over, but he’s still feeling quite relaxed.
Westwood barely touched a club since playing the European Tour’s season finale in Dubai last November. He spent the holidays in Thailand and didn’t bring his sticks. When he arrived in Abu Dhabi last Friday, he finally got some decent work in with swing coach Robert Rock.
Yet the 46-year-old Englishman isn’t showing any rust. Through 54 holes of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, Westwood leads at 17 under after a third-round, 7-under 65 Saturday at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.
“I didn't hit as many balls as I'd like [on Friday], but I've done some hard work here on Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday, and been working with Rocky and the swing feels like there's a bit more width into it and I've driven the ball well,” Westwood said.