I'll Be Fit for Valhalla, Insists Westwood

Lee Westwood has denied reports suggesting he will not be fit for next week's Ryder Cup and has insisted that he may yet make the tee at Valhalla, despite being laid low by a bout of tonsillitis.

The 35-year-old was struck down by the virus when playing in Gleneagles nine days ago and his involvement in the European team was placed in doubt yesterday after the office of his agent, Chubby Chandler, announced that Westwood had no chance of playing in this week's Mercedes Benz Championshipp in Cologne, saying he was "still not 100%".

But Westwood told Sky Sports News today that he will be fit for the Ryder Cup match at Valhalla, Kentucky. "I'm fine, recovering well," he said. "[The reports] are slightly wide of the mark, I think someone's just trying to fill up column inches.

"I did pull out of last week's event in Switzerland, but made it known that if it was possible I'd like to get an invite into this week's in Germany. But there weren't any invites left and when the promoter eventually came up with one there were a couple of conditions which I couldn't go along with so I had to turn that invite down.

"I also decided that another week's rest, a bit of gym work and a lot of practice at home here would have me in better shape for the Ryder Cup."