While Lee Westwood appears lukewarm in matching Nick Faldo’s Ryder Cup appearance record but he’s shot both arms in the air declaring he’ll be seeking the 2020 European Ryder Cup Captaincy.
Westwood is a veteran of the past nine Ryder Cups since making his debut in the victorious 1997 side at Valderrama but is still two European team caps shy of Faldo’s all-time record.
As well, having won 21 Ryder Cup points, Westwood is also four adrift also of Faldo’s all-time European record for the event.
And with Westwood set to turn 43 later next month a goal of equalling both of Faldo’s feat would appear to be as distant as is Westwood’s quest, and currently at 37th on points list, in qualifying for this year’s Hazeltine side.
Lee Westwood makes it nine Ryder Cup appearances competing in the 2014 en encounter at Gleneagles. (Picture: David Lloyd / www.golffile.ie)
No doubt with so many European greats now coming into the mix for the captaincy, including Padraig Harrington, Thomas Bjorn and Paul Lawrie, it’s a smart move by Westwood to declare his intentions in four years at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.
“Matching Nick’s record is not a driving force and more the fact I’ve been on seven winning teams is the driving force,” said Westwood.
“In fact, I was chatting with Nick recently and funnily enough matching his Ryder Cup record never came up. We talked more about swing thoughts and fishing and Formula One.
“But then I will be thinking of putting my name in for the Ryder Cup captaincy in four years.
“I would like to make this year’s team but then past record only counts if you’re playing well so the goal still for this year is hopefully get some form together and qualify for the team.
“But if not I would be happy to go along and get some captaincy experience as vice-captain like my role earlier this year in the EurAsia Cup.
“If you’ve played in nine Ryder Cups you’ve got the respect of the players and feel like you can help, and having played under nine different captains, so experienced all there is to experience in that regard.”
