East Lake, Atlanta, GA … Lee Westwood has stirred the countdown to next week’s Ryder Cup suggesting USA vice-captain Tiger Woods could be an ‘adverse effect’ in the Hazeltine team room.

Westwood will be making his 10th straight appearance on a European side whereas Woods a first as a vice-captain.

In Ryder Cup competition the pair faced each other on 10 occasions and with Westwood winning eight of those matches.

However the duo have not come face-to-face in Ryder Cup competition since Westwood and Nicolas Colsaerts combined to beat Woods and Steve Stricker in the Saturday morning Foursomes at the 2012 Ryder Cup in Medinah.

Lee Westwood suggesting Tiger Woods could have an ‘adverse effect’ on the USA Ryder Cup team

But then it’s uncertain how Westwood’s comments will resonate in the USA Team.

Indeed Westwood had been asked by ESPN his thoughts on not on the impact of Woods in the USA team room but also on Davis Love 111s captaincy in 2012.

“I don’t know what impact there will be from having Tiger around,” said Westwood.

“They [the U.S. team] have always struggled to find a partner for Tiger that’s been successful.

“He could have an adverse effect in the team room. People have always seemed to try to do too much when they have partnered him. It might be different if he’s one of the vice-captains – you don’t know.”

On Davis Love III’s captaincy at Medinah in 2012 and how losing a 10-6 singles lead will play on the teams’ minds in Minnesota…

“His [Love’s] captaincy at Chicago was great for a couple of days. I don’t know if something went wrong on the Sunday, or the team didn’t play very well for some reason, but that will be in the back of their minds.”

On how not picking Bubba Watson will heighten the existing spirit and chemistry issues in the U.S. team…

“There seem to have been issues about team spirit and chemistry. Love’s has not picked Bubba Watson and I don’t know what that does for team spirit — he was first outside the points qualification and is No.7 in the world.”

On the pressure building on the U.S. team…

“The captain is obviously building them up a lot and making a few interesting decisions. They have got a strong side and probably are favourites but they haven’t won it for a while and they are playing in front of a home crowd – there is a lot of pressure on them.”

“That is going to keep building in the next week or so and by the time the Ryder Cup comes around it is going to be pretty intense for them, the week in Minnesota.”