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Lee Westwood said not doing “enough right” on the last day of the Open cost him the chance to win a first major. The 40-year-old led by two shots after 54 holes but his worst round of the championship, a 75, saw him finish in a tie for third at Muirfield, four shots behind winner Phil Mickelson. “I didn’t play badly, but I didn’t play great,” said the Englishman.

“There have been lots of very good players who have never won a championship and perhaps Lee Westwood is going to be one of those who never win. “He’ll be badgered by people and he will get the feeling, if he lets it get to him, that people are wondering why he doesn’t win.” “It’s a tough course – you’ve got to have your ‘A’ game. I missed a few shots out there.” Westwood made five bogeys as he slid down the leaderboard to finish on one over, while American Mickelson shot the round of the day – a 66 – for a three-under total.

“Sometimes you play well and somebody plays a bit better and sometimes you play poorly,” he added. “I didn’t really do either and Phil obviously played well. He shot the round of the day, five under par and birdied four out of [the last] six – that’s a pretty special finish in a major championship.
“But you’ve got to play well to give yourself your own momentum, and I just couldn’t get there today.

“I didn’t do a lot wrong, I just didn’t do enough right. I know what I’ve got to work on.” Westwood, who has finished either second or third at a major eight times in his 62 attempts, “really enjoyed” the experience of beginning the final round as leader.

He said: “It’s where any professional golfer wants to be. It means a lot and you go out there and try your best, but there was no pressure. “I was amazed to be in the lead going into the fourth round, because every time I turned into the wind I was really struggling. “I didn’t feel like I was striking the ball well but I putted lovely this weekend. I made my fair share so there was a lot of positives to take out of the week. “I’m not too disappointed. I don’t really get disappointed with golf any more.”

Source : www.bbc.co.uk

Phil Mickelson came from five strokes back to clinch his first Open title and fifth major on a dizzying final day at Muirfield.

The 43-year-old American triumphed by three shots from Sweden’s Henrik Stenson, with English pair Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood four back, alongside Australia’s Masters champion Adam Scott.
Mickelson surged to the third leg of a career Grand Slam of all four majors with a stunning five-under 66 to finish three under.

Former European Ryder Cup captain BBC Sport at Muirfield. “What an unbelievable round by Mickelson. He almost made it look simple. He played with such freedom. The second shot he hit to 17 was absolutely majestic and then he went on to birdie the last, which was the sign of a true champion. He was the best guy out there this week.

“The only disappointment was Lee Westwood’s round today. He played a poor round and only he knows why. It’s not his last chance, but this one will hurt. Fortunately he is extremely resilient and he will fight back.”

The left-hander, who won the Scottish Open last week, birdied four of the last six holes and was in tears on the final green as he hugged caddie Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay.

The mercurial Mickelson’s Open record had been modest up to now, despite a third place at Troon in 2004 and second at Royal St George’s in 2011, as he slowly got to grips with a style of the game he initially “hated”.

But a play-off victory over the Castle Stuart links in Inverness last week, and now his first Claret Jug, should make amends for his devastation at recording a record sixth runner-up spot in the US Open behind Justin Rose last month.

“This is such an accomplishment because I never knew whether I’d be able to develop my game to play links golf,” said Mickelson. “I played arguably the best round of my career, and shot the round of my life. It’s such a difficult six-hole finish, I putted so good. It feels amazing.”

He added: “The range of emotions I feel are as far apart as possible after losing the US Open. But you have to be resilient in this game. These last couple of weeks, these last couple of months, I’ve played some of the best golf of my career.”

Mickelson delighted to “shoot the round of his life”. Mickelson, who won the Masters in 2004, 2006 and 2010 and the US PGA in 2005, continues the list of illustrious former champions at Muirfield, which includes such greats of the game as Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, Tom Watson, Nick Faldo (twice) and Ernie Els, who was defending champion this week.

American Mickelson becomes the third consecutive player in his 40s to win the Open, after Els and Darren Clarke. Westwood, seeking a first major title at the 62nd attempt, led by two going into the final day and moved serenely into a three-shot lead after five holes. But he took two to get out of a pot bunker on the short seventh and from then on was always struggling for momentum in a 75.

“I didn’t play that badly, my round came unstuck at seven, eight and nine,” said Westwood.
“Phil must have played really well. To birdie four out of the last six here on any day is good going. But to do it today on a breezy day with the flags blowing and in the Open Championship is exceptional.”

Stenson carded 70 for his best finish in a major, while Ryder Cup hero Poulter surged from eight strokes back with a brilliant 67 on an overcast, breezy day in contrast to the heat and sunshine of the rest of the week in East Lothian.

Scott, who blew a four-shot lead to finish runner-up to Els last year, hit the front at one stage on a topsy-turvy afternoon that saw the lead change hands numerous times, but the 32-year-old faltered late on with a 72.

Tiger Woods began two behind Westwood and in prime position to strike for a 15th major title and first since 2008. But he went backwards from the first and ended with a 74 for two over.

Source : www.bbc.co.uk

Manchester United have made a second bid for Barcelona and Spain midfielder Cesc Fabregas.
United confirmed a £25m offer last Monday and have increased that to £30m plus add-ons, with executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward leaving the club’s pre-season tour to negotiate a deal.
“As I understand it, Ed had a response [to the first bid],” said Moyes at a press conference in Yokohama. “We have made a second offer but Ed is dealing with it rather than me.”

The Scot added: “When you’re interested in good players you want to give it every opportunity to materialise and I’ll do that. I hope things can continue and move forward.
“At this moment in time I can only tell you that Ed is working hard trying to make the deals happen. We can only hope that some of them fall into place shortly.”
Fabregas came through Barcelona’s La Masia academy before Arsenal signed him as a 16-year-old in 2003.

He developed as one of the London club’s key players under manager Arsene Wenger before becoming Arsenal captain in November 2008.

The 26-year-old spent eight years with the Gunners, playing 303 games and scoring 57 goals.
However, he returned to the Nou Camp when he signed a five-year deal with Barcelona in a £25.4m move in August 2011.

He has since helped the Catalan club win the Copa del Rey in 2011-12 and La Liga in 2012-13.
Fabregas has played 96 times in two seasons with Barcelona, including 60 league games, but has rarely featured in his preferred midfield role, with Xavi, 33, and Andres Iniesta, 29, ahead of him.
Fabregas has made 83 appearances for Spain, winning the 2010 World Cup and the European Championship twice.

Source : www.bbc.co.uk