Westwood's Ryder Cup hopes waning

An ailing Lee Westwood missed the halfway cut for the fifth successive tournament at Wentworth today.

But the difference this time is that it looks to have cost the former European number one a place in the US Open – and that in turn is bound to damage the chances of him being part of Europe’s Ryder Cup team in September.

Westwood, a member of the last four sides and Sergio Garcia’s partner for most of the last two, has been suffering from tonsilitis and could add only a 74 to his opening 75 for a 36-hole total of 149, five over, at the BMW Championship.

His early exit from the European Tour’s flagship event – a tournament where he has now missed the cut five of the last six years – follows his failures at the Masters, New Orleans Classic and Wachovia Championship in America and then the British Masters at The Belfry two weeks ago.

“I’ve been under the weather all week,” said the Worksop golfer, who pulled out of Wednesday’s pro-am. “I’m just hitting too many poor shots and my putting is letting me down more than anything.”

Westwood, 55th in the world rankings, needed a top five finish to climb into the top 50 before Monday’s cut-off for US Open exemptions.

Qualifying at Walton Heath a week later was an option – that is the route Michael Campbell took to his first major title last year – but Westwood stated: “I’m busy then – I’ve got a company day. I had no intention of playing.”

He has decided instead to play the Memorial tournament in Ohio and although there is a qualifying tournament nearby the following day (June 5) he is not allowed to switch to that.

Missing out on the second major of the season would be a huge setback for him in the Ryder Cup race.

He is currently outside the top 30 in the standings and captain Ian Woosnam said only three weeks ago that Westwood and Padraig Harrington ‘have to start making a move really” to qualify.

But Westwood, who has spent most of the early season in the States, said in response: “I’m not prepared to change my schedule just for one week’s golf. I set my stall out last year to play in America and I’m going to stick to it. I see no reason to change.

“I love playing in the Ryder Cup and have been very proud, but I do this for a living.

“Looking at it (the points table) somebody is going to miss out and I’m not confident it won’t be me.

“But a lot changes over the summer. If you play really well in the next three weeks you almost guarantee yourself a place in the team.”

That, though, was before the British Masters and the three weeks he was referring to have seen him fall down the table rather than climb it.