By Mark Garrod, Liverpool Daily Post Correspondent
LEE WESTWOOD is in confident mood as he bids to cause an upset against hometown favourites Ernie Els and Retief Goosen in the SAA Open in Port Elizabeth beginning today.
Westwood returned to action last week in the Dunhill Championship after an eight-week rest and was in good form, putting together four solid rounds to finish third in a quality field.
"I'm really pleased about the way I've come back, especially when you consider I had eight weeks off and I was a bit rusty," said Westwood.
"I truly wasn't quite ready to go out and play and then we had a problem with the flights - I arrived a day late last week - and then had to deal with the heat, which I wasn't used to.
"So if you take those factors into consideration, I am delighted with my form last week."
Humewood is as close to a links course as you can get in South Africa but there has been some concern over its condition, as first drought and then floods played havoc with preparations.
And Westwood's acquaintance with the course was delayed until late on Tuesday after an injury caused him to call off a practice round.
"I've got a bit of a bad back at the moment," he said. "I had some treatment and on advice had to cancel my round - I was only planning on playing nine holes but from what I gather the course has a good links feel about it."
While some observers were surprised at Westwood's decision to return to action now, rather than waiting until the new year, the man himself admitted he needed to begin playing again sooner rather than later.
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