Following his Open capitulation Lee Westwood has already shifted his focus to the summer's other challenges. (Reuters)

Lee Westwood has shifted his focus to the USPGA Championship next month where he plans to end his wait for a major success after suffering Open disappointment at Muirfield.

The 40-year-old led by two shots going into the final day of the championship, holding his lead until after 54 holes before a round of 75 - comfortably his worst of the weekend - allowed the resilient Phil Mickelson to grab the lead en route to securing his fifth major.

Westwood eventually settled for sharing third place with Ian Poulter and Adam Scott, and admitted the despair of surrendering his lead "hurt" him. But Westwood is in no mood to wallow in self-pity and is already concentrating on the summer's next major in New York next month.

"Yes, it hurts, but I can deal with that," Westwood said of his Muirfield heartache, speaking to the Daily Telegraph.

"I'm having a week off then I'll play (the WGC Bridgeston Invitational at) Akron and I'll be ready to give it another go at the USPGA (held at Rochester during the beginning of August.)

"I'm not going to walk around feeling sorry for myself, and I don't want anyone else feeling sorry for me. I have to be strong enough to want to keep putting myself in this position, or I'll never get the chance to finish one off."

Someone who has already given his backing to Westwood has been the man he finished level with on Sunday in Ian Poulter. Poulter pieced together his own spectacular sequence on that gripping final day where he lifted himself from six over par to even within just eight holes, a scintillating spell that drew memories of his spectacular showings at the Ryder Cup last year.

While Poulter will also be focusing on securing his first major success, he believes Westwood is "too good a player" not to secure one for himself.

"Phil is a few years older than Lee is," Poulter said. "The last few Opens show us that guys can still win majors in their 40s. Lee has plenty more years left.

"If he keeps putting himself in a position he is going to get his hands on one of them for sure, he is too good a player not to, but the pressure is there. Every time he is in position it's difficult because everyone wants him to win and he wants to win even more than everyone else."

New York Ryder Cup