Lee Westwood was five shots out of the lead going into the final round of the 2017 Masters, closed with a 74 and tied for 18th. He had fallen out of the top 50 a month earlier and has yet to return, and returning at age 46 was not going to be easy.
Westwood, who trailed by one stroke after the second round of the Open Championship at Royal Portrush, fell eight back after Saturday and then closed with a 73.
His tie for fourth was enough to send him back to Augusta National next April. The Masters invites the top four from the other three majors.
Westwood had to wait when he finished to make sure Brooks Koepka or Rickie Fowler didn’t do anything to knock him out.
“I never wish anybody ill, but it would be nice to play Augusta again,” Westwood said. “I’ve missed it the last couple of years.”
He had the 54-hole lead in the 2010 Masters and was runner-up to Phil Mickelson.