England: Europe’s Lee Westwood believes Tiger Woods could have an adverse effect on America’s Ryder Cup chances after the 14-time major winner was named as a vice-captain on the US team.
Woods has not played competitive golf since the Wyndham championship in August 2015, and has been sidelined for much of the past year while recovering from multiple back surgeries.
The former world number one was recruited by US captain Davis Love III as a team tactician for next week’s event but Westwood, a wild card pick for Europe, said he was not convinced Woods’ presence would have the desired impact.
“I don’t know what impact there will be from having Tiger around,” Westwood told ESPN.com.
“They 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.” Europe, fielding six rookies in Minnesota, will be gunning for an unprecedented fourth consecutive Ryder Cup victory next week, and Westwood expects the pressure to be firmly on the hosts to deliver.
“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.” Love will announce his final wild card pick on Sept. 25 and Westwood, making his 10th consecutive Ryder Cup appearance questioned the American captain’s omission of one former major winner.
“There seem to have been issues about team spirit and chemistry. Love 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.” The Ryder Cup begins at the Hazeltine National Golf Club on Sept. 30.
Meanwhile Dustin Johnson says he does not want to partner United States team mate Phil Mickelson at next week’s tournament.
Throwing diplomacy out of the window, the long-hitting Johnson on Wednesday made clear his thoughts regarding Mickelson, who is a five-times major champion.
“I think I can partner pretty well with pretty much anyone, except for Phil,” world number two Johnson told reporters on the eve of the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta.
“Me and Phil don’t partner well together,” added Johnson, in what amounted to a public plea to US. Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III.
US. Open champion Johnson made it clear he has no personal issue with Mickelson, with whom he regularly plays practice rounds before tournaments, usually with a wager on the line.
“We play well against each other,” said Johnson. “I love Phil and we’re great friends but we have a lot more fun when we’re playing against each other than when we’re partners.” Johnson’s antipathy to partnering Mickelson stretches back to the 2010 Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor in Wales, when the two were paired for the opening day foursomes and four balls.
