Lee Westwood is hoping his best-ever finish in a major is just a sign of things to come.

A 20-foot putt for par on the 17th and then a 40-footer at the last for a 67 gave Westwood fourth place in the Open at Royal Troon and confirmed the 31-year-old from Worksop is back as a world force only two years after he slumped outside the game's top 250.

Westwood, who stood as high as fourth after he ended Colin Montgomerie's seven-year reign as European No 1, said: "I know my game is good enough to win a major.

"It's just a question of giving myself the opportunity. I was not quite close enough today to put the pressure on them.

"Obviously I'm very pleased with the way I finished, but I got off to a terrible start just as I did the first three days and that probably cost me the tournament.

"From the sixth onwards I was brilliant. I'd not made a lot of putts, but on the last nine I rolled in a few.

"I always hoped the work I've been doing was going to pay off and the most pleasing thing is the consistency I've shown over the last three weeks."

He was runner-up in the European Open and 10th in the Scottish Open.

Now his Ryder Cup place is secure for September.

"I looked at the leaderboards all the time and I thought with six to go that eight under could be close."

He reached only six under, but produced one of the biggest roars for that on the last and said: "I just wanted to hole it to give the fans something to cheer about and to creep ahead of Davis Love in the clubhouse."

Westwood's comeback started when he won the BMW International in Germany last August - just two weeks after he appeared close to despair at the US PGA championship, where he missed his fourth successive cut in majors.

He then captured the dunhill links championship at St Andrews after a shoot-out with Ernie Els. The good times are definitely back - and he is soon to become a father for the second time too.