Golf

Ryder Cup: Lee Westwood turns up heat

European Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke with Rory McIlroy (right) and Lee Westwood (left) ahead of the 41st edition of the tournament at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota<br />Picture by AP&nbsp;
European Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke with Rory McIlroy (right) and Lee Westwood (left) ahead of the 41st edition of the tournament at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota
Picture by AP 
European Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke with Rory McIlroy (right) and Lee Westwood (left) ahead of the 41st edition of the tournament at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota
Picture by AP 

Lee Westwood has questioned whether the United States will have run out of options to improve their recent Ryder Cup record if they lose again at Hazeltine.

Europe are seeking an unprecedented fourth straight victory in the biennial contest and have won six of the last seven, a streak which prompted the formation of an 11-man “task force” to examine all aspects of the US Ryder Cup process.

“It’s very flattering to Team Europe that the USA have put this task force together and are trying to replicate what we’ve done,” Westwood said. 

“It means we are successful and we are doing it right.

“We take a lot of pride in that, that the USA are taking it so seriously to bring this task force together and bring Davis (Love) in as captain again.

“It gives us a lot of confidence and puts added pressure on them. You form a task force and it doesn’t go right this week, where do you go from there? You’ve done pretty much all you can do. So we’ll see how that goes.

“A lot of the players on the European side have had multiple experiences of winning Ryder Cups. And on the other side of that, a lot of their players have had multiple experiences of losing Ryder Cups.”

Westwood is making his 10th consecutive appearance in the Ryder Cup and needs two-and-a-half points to overtake Nick Faldo as Europe’s top points scorer in the event’s history.

However, the 43-year-old insists the team result comes before any personal milestones.

“I’d be lying if I didn’t say I wanted to get past Nick’s record, because anybody involved in sport wants to break records,” he said. 

“But if you give me a choice of not winning any points and the Europeans winning the Ryder Cup, then that would definitely come first before getting in front of Nick’s record or getting near it. It’s all about the team this week.”