Westwood's win not a good omen at Open

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. - If Lee Westwood is the type who believes in precedent, he might have been a little hasty in winning that three-way playoff in Memphis on Sunday. According to research done by U.S. Golf Association historians, who are on site and have a desk set up here this week, no one ever has won the U.S. Open after having won a PGA Tour event the previous week.

Westwood's game has been on the rise in recent years and he is considered to be on the verge of winning a major. Phil Mickelson told him as much after he beat Westwood in the Masters two months ago. But even as Mickelson and others have won the Masters and PGA Championship a week after another victory, Westwood will have a historical jinx to overcome.

The English golfer will play the first two rounds with Tiger Woods and Ernie Els.

Mediate is in

Westwood's win was good news for Rocco Mediate, who lost to Woods in one of the great playoffs in Open history two years ago. Mediate had been an alternate after sectional qualifying, then got in Monday. The USGA had reserved one spot for a multiple PGA Tour champion through the St. Jude Classic in Memphis. But Westwood already had earned his way into the Open, leaving a berth available.

Can't beat the view

NCAA champion Scott Langley from the University of Illinois is in the field, having qualified last week. "I've actually never even been to a U.S. Open to watch," he said. "So it's nice to be able to play in one."