Lee Westwood safe after cockpit fire forces plane to make emergency landing – Golf news
Lee Westwood arrived in Augusta safely after the plane in which he was travelling was forced to make an emergency landing due to fire in its cockpit.
The former world number one narrated the incident to the press on Monday after he reached the clubhouse of Augusta National, where the 2011 US Masters would take place.
The 37-year-old took off from Houston on Sunday after competing in the Shell Houston Open. The reigning world number two was accompanied by Ross Fisher as they boarded a private jet. As soon as the plane took off from the runway, fire lit in the instrument
panel, which forced the pilot to make an emergency landing.
Soon after the incident, Westwood wrote on his Twitter page, “Do the [fire] engines normally follow you down the runway? Only when there's smoke in the cabin I guess!!!”
After a few minutes, he wrote, “They're not here to put my putter out! That's not on fire!”
Later, he met the press on Monday, who was keen to know about the incident. He narrated the whole story and said that he was scared when smoke started to come inside the cabin and the pilots put on their gas masks. However, when the technical team failed
to put off the fire, the authorities decided to land the plane.
“The plane came down in a bit of a nosedive because you obviously have to get down as quick as you can,” said Westwood.
Both the players along with their caddies who were travelling on the same plane exited the aircraft safely and reached the Georgia airport to share their story.
Westwood and Fisher will compete in the 75th Masters, which is the first major championship of the season. The tournament will take place at the par-72 Augusta National as part of the tradition and will see the top 50 players of the world tee
off for the famous green jacket.
Westwood has never won a major championship in his entire career, but he was the runner-up at the course in 2010 and this season, he is not ready to settle for anything less than the winner's trophy.
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