At GOLF LIVE 2012, Legend Gary Player has backed Lee Westwood to finally join Majors Club

South African legend Gary Player has backed Lee Westwood to finally join golf’s Majors Club and has told him: “Putting is not Your problem.” 

Player, 76, winner of nine Grand Slam tournaments in a career spanning more than 50 years, believes Westwood can finally make his big breakthrough in the Majors if he improves his play around the greens. 

The world number three remains on the hunt for his first Major title despite finishing in the top three of a Grand Slam event seven times in the last four years and having 38 tournament victories worldwide to his name. 

Westwood’s latest near miss came at last month’s Masters when he finished joint-third and just two shots behind winner Bubba Watson. 

The 39-year-old topped the standings for greens in regulation hit during the four days at Augusta and blamed poor putting for his failure to win but Player disagrees and reckons he should concentrate on other aspects of his short game. 

Speaking at Golf Live at the London Golf Club in Kent ystdy/today/Fri, he said: “I would love to see Lee Westwood win a Major and I think he will win a Major. 

"A lot of people talk about his putting but I don’t think that is his problem. I think he has to lift his chipping and bunker play up a notch. 

“With Jack Nicklaus, it was his chipping that he needed to improve and he did that. Arnold Palmer’s wedge play wasn’t as good as the rest of his game and he took that up a notch. 

“With me, it was my strength and I worked hard on that to ensure that I could compete at the top of the game.” 

Westwood will launch his next quest for Major glory at next month’s US Open, which is being staged at The Olympic Club in San Francisco from June 14-17. 

But Player believes that defending champion Rory McIlroy is the man that the field has to beat and the South African is a huge fan of the world number one. 

Player added:  “I don’t know a young man who is more talented in the world than him at the moment, but that doesn’t mean that he is going to be the best. 

“I would pick him to do very well at the US Open because every time he plays, I pick him to win, he is that good. 

“I think he needs to raise his putting a notch. It’s one thing to win one Major title but to win two, three, four and five is something else. 

“There are a lot of first-time winners of Grand Slam events out there at the moment and what they have to do now is kick on. 

“To be regarded as a golfing superstar I think you have to win six Majors.” 

Player joined a star-studded cast including victorious eight-time European Order of Merit winner Colin Montgomerie, Solheim Cup winning captain Alison Nicholas and top professionals Rhys Davies, Oli Fisher and Carly Booth on the first day of Golf Live ystdy/Fri. 

As well as meeting and learning from the big-name golfers, the show – which is taking place at the London Golf Club, Kent, until tomorrow/Sun –offers golf fans a host of interactive features to enjoy including free golf lessons; club-fitting and the chance to try out the latest in golf club technology from the game’s top brands. 

Tickets for Golf Live cost just £20 for adults while under-18s can gain free entry by registering on Golf Live’s website. For more information or to buy tickets visit www.golfliveevent.com.