Westwood will wait for another chance

AUGUSTA - If anyone was suited to offer words of encouragement to Lee Westwood on Sunday after he lost the final-round lead at the Masters, it was the man who usurped him, Phil Mickelson.

Mickelson long carried the label as the world's top player never to win a major before he rolled in an 18-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hold of the 2004 Masters to beat Ernie Els by one stroke.

He reminded Westwood of that fact on Sunday evening, shortly after Mickelson's round of 5-under 67 left him at 16 under, three strokes clear of Westwood, who shot 71.

"Phil was just saying in the scoring hut after we had finished that he'd been that man who kept knocking on the door, finishing seconds and thirds and wondering if it ever does," Westwood said, "and suddenly it does and winning majors becomes easier in your own mind."

Westwood has been right on the verge for most of the last year. He tied for third at both the British Open and PGA Championship last year and held the 54-hole lead this week at Augusta National after brilliant rounds of 67, 69 and 68.

He was on the verge of becoming the first player ever to fire four rounds in the 60s before his 71 on Sunday caused him to slip behind Mickelson.

In truth, Sunday's round was less of a collapse by Westwood than a textbook example of how to play the course by three-time Masters champion Mickelson, who played the final 36 holes at 10 under.

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