Westwood moved to Florida at the end of the 2012 season because he felt his golf was less likely to stand still over the winter months and, when it came to Muirfield, it looked as if his latest drive was about to be rewarded.
He putted beautifully over those impeccable greens and, with one round to play, he had a two-shot lead over Hunter Mahan and Tiger Woods.
His 12-year-old son, Sam, had been following him every day and it was shaping to be a great story for the British press, not to mention one which would put paid to all the negative publicity surrounding Muirfield and its no-women policy.
On the Saturday night, Westwood fielded all the questions you would have expected about past close calls. Similarly, the media wanted him to elaborate on his feelings going into the last round, given the experience he now had of being in contention in majors.
"I’ll think about winning the Open championship tonight at some stage," he began. "I don’t see anything wrong with that, picturing yourself holding the Claret Jug and seeing your name at the top of the leaderboard. When it comes to teeing off, I should be in the same frame of mind as I was today when I didn’t feel any pressure. I was nice and calm out there and in control of what I was doing.
"I know what it takes to win a major now. It’s just a case of going out there tomorrow and having the confidence in my game, which I’ve got."
He said that he had never felt as comfortable at the top of a major leaderboard before suggesting that that was connected with turning 40.
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