Lee Westwood’s private jet catches fire – Golf update
As if it was not enough finishing tied for 30th place at the Houston Open after dropping the ball through a water hazard at the 18th, Lee Westwood’s luck took a turn for the worst when his private jet reportedly caught fire during its
flight to Augusta. The world number two’s jet made a forced landing due to fire breaking out in the cockpit. Westwood was accompanied by his Ryders Cup team-mate Ross Fisher, and his trusted caddie Billy Foster. Also onboard were managers of the both players
as well as Fisher’s caddie.
"I was having a bit of a chuckle about it afterwards because I'd come off the 18th green [after finishing joint 30th in Houston] steaming after ripping the ball all day and then sticking my ball in the water on 18," he said. "After missing a stack of putts
I thought that was the perfect way to end a rotten day. But it hadn't ended yet."
Westwood later narrated the whole scenario saying that he first sighted the smoke billowing from the cockpit and that the pilots putting their oxygen masks on. He said that we were told not to take off the masks because it might provide oxygen to the fire.
The jet took a deep nosedive to cut the altitude as quickly as possible and made an emergency landing on the runway. The fire was extinguished and the players were provided another jet soon afterwards.
Westwood, who had already been through such situation before, looked visibly calm and laughed over the incident while recalling how terrified Billy and Ross were at that time. Foster was shaken by the experience and said, "I told them, 'this is it lads,
we're goners'. My hands and knees were shaking.”
Westwood and his caddie later launched a practice round, barely fazed by the horrific incident. Westwood had also decided to give his new putter another shot despite it misfiring at the Houston Open. Last year’s runners up, Westwood is eyeing the top slot
not only at the Masters but also in the World Golf Ranking.
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