Mickelson turns down match play

Masters champion Phil Mickelson has decided not to play the HSBC world match play championship at Wentworth on October 14-17 – a decision which gives Lee Westwood a shot at the £1m (€1.46m) first prize, the biggest in golf.

Tiger Woods is another non-starter – he and Mickelson also turned down the event last year – but his successor as world number one, Vijay Singh, will be there along with Open champion Todd Hamilton, defending champion Ernie Els, US Open champion Retief Goosen, Canadian Mike Weir, American Jeff Maggert, South Korean KJ Choi and Westwood.

The other eight players have yet to be confirmed and four are decided only after this week’s Heritage tournament at Woburn.

Scotland’s Scott Drummond, Argentina’s Angel Cabrera and Westwood’s Ryder Cup team-mates Miguel Angel Jimenez and Thomas Levet are in position to qualify, but Levet could be knocked out if Padraig Harrington finishes in the top eight on Sunday.

Luke Donald, Ryder Cup assistant captain Joakim Haeggman and Australian Peter O’Malley could have qualified, but have decided not to play at Woburn.