• US PGA Championship

Relaxed Westwood to 'let it flow'

ESPN staff
August 10, 2011
Lee Westwood was in high spirts ahead of the US PGA Championship © PA Photos
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Lee Westwood will adopt a relaxed approach at this week's US PGA Championship, having sought out advice from sports psychologist Bob Rotella.

Westwood was one of the few elite sportsmen not to have enlisted the services of a mental guru, but having seen his close friend Darren Clarke win the Open Championship after seeking out advice from Rotella he opted to take the plunge.

World No. 2 Westwood is still targeting his first major win and after ironing out some demons in his short game with Dave Stockton, he has turned to the mental side of his game and if his appearance at a press conference at Atlanta Golf Club on Tuesday is anything to go by then he will be extremely laid back when the championship gets underway on Thursday.

Westwood was cracking jokes throughout, poking fun at Clarke and his manager Andrew Chubby Chandler among others, and looked extremely relaxed.

"He's got all the letters after his name, so I figured he was the best," Westwood said in response to his work with Rotella.

"I'm just playing like my son, (who) stood over a 10-foot putt on the last green of the Par 3 at the Masters and rolled it in," Westwood said. "He wasn't thinking about whether it was square or taking it far back enough. That's just how kids do and that's the mentality I'm trying to get back into with my golf. Just kind of free-wheeling.

"I've done all the hard work now. Done it for 20 years. It's time to just relax and let it flow."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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