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The least notable aspect of Lee Westwood’s week playing host to the European Tour’s reboot in the UK was his 70th-place finish in the Betfred British Masters. Between balking at playing the upcoming World Golf Championship event and major in the United States, and pitching his hat in the ring for the 2023 Ryder Cup captaincy, the 47-year-old Englishman still dominated the headlines from Close House Golf Club.
Despite Saturday’s notification that the United States is lifting 14-day quarantine requirements for overseas players and caddies to compete in PGA Tour events, Westwood said he will not travel to play in this week’s WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational in Memphis, Tennessee, or the PGA Championship the following week at TPC Harding Park in California.
“I still don’t feel comfortable and I don’t feel like it is right to jump on a plane for 12 hours,” said Westwood, ranked No. 34 in the world. “I’ve felt out of my comfort zone this week, so, if I got to Memphis, I would feel uncomfortable playing golf tournaments at the moment. I’m still more concerned that America doesn’t take (the coronavirus) as seriously as the rest of the world. It still seems to be one of the hot spots for outbreaks.”
"I would feel uncomfortable playing golf tournaments at the moment. I’m still more concerned that America doesn’t take (the coronavirus) as seriously as the rest of the world. It still seems to be one of the hot spots for outbreaks.”
Lee Westwood
Saying he’s “slightly asthmatic,” Westwood feels the risks to his health are too substantial at the moment, adding later that he hopes the situation has stabilized enough for him to play in the U.S. Open at Winged Foot in September.
His discomfort returning from a four-month competitive hiatus was apparent this week, as he shot 79 in Saturday’s final round to finish last among players to make the cut – 26 shots behind winner Renato Paratore of Italy.
“It’s just not the life I’m used to,” Westwood said. “Whenever I come out and play the tournaments now it is almost about seeing my mates and the sociable element of it all and you’re not getting that at the moment. I go out on the golf course and I am struggling for motivation a little bit. There is a lot more to consider.”
A veteran of 10 Ryder Cups during an era of relative European team dominance, Westwood is keen to lead his continental mates as captain in the 2023 event when it is to be held in Rome, Italy.
“I’ve played in 10 Ryder Cups under 10 different captains and I was vice captain to Thomas (Bjørn) in 2018,” Westwood said in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. “So I’ve seen how the captaincy has been done, and I’ve seen a lot of good captaincies and things that I like. … It would be a massive honor to be a Ryder Cup captain and there’s no doubt about that, and it’s a job I would love to do.”
Staff and Wire Reports