At 12:33 tomorrow afternoon (GMT), Lee Westwood after two years absence will make his 19^th start at arguably the greatest golf tournament of them all, the Masters. Now aged 47 years old, having first played in 1997 and having had six top ten finishes and twice being runner-up since, he goes into Thursday’s first round of the delayed 2020 edition teeing off with Americans Matt Kuchar and Kevin Na.

The Worksop born golfer ‘infamously’ debated as one of the best out there never to win a major, will take on a stunning Augusta course where he’s regularly done well at, knowing that he still has the quality and certainly has the experience to go out there and compete at the right end of the cut at a place he loves playing at once again.

10 years ago, Westwood was world number one after winning the first ever race to Dubai and over $1m in prize funds on the European Tour. ‘Destined’ for a major, Westwood had earlier that year finished second in the Masters to Phil Mickelsen and was considered as a man that would surely one day top one of golf’s four prized championships.

That day unfortunately still hasn’t come, but not to say Westwood who’s been close on several occasions, has not had a fabulous career in the sport, with 25 European Tour wins and 2 PGA Tour successes.

Now ranked 47 in the world, Westwood has one tournament win this calendar year, the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship in January but missed the cut in his last outing at the Vivint Houston Open.

However a player who usually saves his best golf for the biggest and best of them all, Westwood returns to Augusta after two years finishing outside the rankings to qualify, in 2017 he tied 18^th in his most recent display in Georgia, a year before (2016) he finished second to fellow countryman Danny Willett alongside Jordan Spieth in yet another world class display of golf.

The calibre of quality that Westwood has, the names he competes with on an even playing field, outstanding for a man who took up golf aged thirteen only after receiving a set of clubs from his grandparents.

Whilst Westwood might not entirely fly the flag for England, these days the likes of Tyrrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Paul Casey and Justin Rose are above in the world rankings pecking order, he will certainly fly the flag for Nottinghamshire and Worksop in particular, the best we’ve ever had in this county by some distance.

Worth an each way bet for those who like a flutter too, a man who always seems to play his best golf in Augusta and one that is 80/1 with some bookies who are paying out up to ten places.

Whilst we are not entirely sure he’ll be the man to dethrone Tiger Woods of his 2019 green jacket we’ll certainly be having a flutter at Nottingham Sport like we always do, backing our own to do well, which we of course hope and wish he does, on a course which he knows very well indeed, and one that certainly suits his game.

*Main image @TheMasters Lee Westwood will appear in his nineteenth Masters this weekend.