Just like old times for reborn Westwood

Golf, as they say, is a funny old game. From where it seemed that Lee Westwood could hardly put two successive shots together a couple of years ago, the former European number one's rebirth has been such that this week - following on from his impressive fourth place finish in the British Open at Royal Troon last month - a new level of expectation has returned to be placed on to his shoulders.

Just like the old days, in many ways.

Yet, there's still a boyishness to Westwood that is immensely appealing. Yesterday, for instance, he interrupted his practice here at Whistling Straits so that he could log onto the Internet to follow the progress of a horse - Tequila Sheila, running at Windsor - that he owns as part of a syndicate. For the record, it won, priced at 7 to 1. Good omen?

It may irk Westwood that he didn't get into the season's opening major, the US Masters at Augusta, but that's history. Now, Westwood - assured of his place on Europe's Ryder Cup team for next month's match in Detroit - is again being mooted as a serious contender in a major. Yep, just like the old days.

And, it would seem, he has matured in the way that he prepares for majors. There was a time when he would play a number of practice rounds in the build-up to a major, but the 31-year-old Englishman - who topped the European Tour order of merit in 2000, when he ended Colin Montgomerie's run of seven successive titles - has taken a more considered approach this time round.

"I'd normally turn up on a Monday, but you don't get much done and, so, you try to cram it all in on a Tuesday and a Wednesday," he said. "By the time Thursday comes around, you're quite tired. You really don't want to be spending eight or nine hours at the golf course the day before the tournament starts so, by coming in early (on Saturday), I've been able to play a practice round yesterday (Sunday), to play nine holes today (Monday) and do the same tomorrow (Tuesday) and take it easy on Wednesday, just work on my pitching, chipping and putting and feel fresh when the tournament starts on Thursday.

"It's a course you need to play a few times because there are a number of blind tee-shots and a number of different ways to play certain holes out there. But I'd say it is a course that you can't play too much before the tournament starts."

Although this will be his eighth appearance in the US PGA, Westwood's best finish came at Valhalla inn 2000 when he was tied-15th. Yet, there's a belief that this set-up could be suit European players.

"I don't think we've ever played a course like this before in the PGA," he remarked. "I think the courses we've played, Winged Foot, Medinah, Valhalla, Hazeltine, places like that, I'd class them more as typical American-style courses. This doesn't remind me of anywhere, it is quite unique, so it could favour European golfers. It's a typical links course in that it will change character dramatically, depending on the wind. Which is what links golf is all about. But you're not going to have the tide changing the wind here, so that will almost make it a fairer links test than it would playing on the coast. I think whoever wins will obviously have deserved it.

"You'd want a game with very few flaws, every part of your game has got to be spot on . . . (the winner is) probably going to be a straight hitter with a good iron game and a great short game and a wonderful putter. Hopefully, it's me. But I think the main key to this week will be patience. It's a course for grinding out lots of pars and limiting your mistakes."

Much like most majors, in fact.