Further Setback to Westwood's Ryder Cup Plans

Lee Westwood may not be able to play on the European Tour before the Ryder Cup later this month after it became increasingly unlikely that he will secure an invitation to next week's German Masters. Westwood had to pull out of this week's European Masters in Switzerland through sickness, but had hoped to take part in Germany as final preparation for the match against the US at Valhalla, which begins on September 16.

Westwood had not originally been entered for next week's tournament in Cologne, but in view of his unexpected week off, owing to a bout of tonsilitis, he has asked for an invitation. However, with the tournament having a restricted field of 78, there are just six invite places and they have already been allocated to the American players Fred Couples and John Daly, and the Europeans Bernhard Langer, Alex Cejka, Marcel Siem and Daniel Chopra.

Four other members of Nick Faldo's Ryder Cup team — Graeme McDowell, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Robert Karlsson and Soren Hansen — are playing, along with Darren Clarke and Colin Montgomerie, who both missed out on selection.

Karlsson was originally playing in Switzerland and not Germany, but made the switch because he wanted to give a neck strain a longer rest. Unlike Westwood, he decided to change before the closing date for entries.