Westwood snubs Seve Trophy

Lee Westwood burst into contention for a second win of the year today – and then delivered some bad news to Nick Faldo.

Apart from being Ryder Cup captain, Faldo is also now in charge of the Britain and Ireland side that will defend the Seve Trophy against Continental Europe at The Heritage in Ireland later this month.

But although victory in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles would take Westwood to a place in the team with two weeks of qualifying to go, he has no intention of playing.

“I’m playing the next four weeks then taking the Seve Trophy off,” said Westwood, given a wild card into last year’s Ryder Cup by Ian Woosnam, after a third-round 69 in Scotland lifted him into a tie for fourth spot, two behind Simon Wakefield and Fredrik Andersson Hed.

“I don’t want the Dunhill (back in Scotland on October 4-7) to be my sixth in a row. Gone are the days when I play six in a row.

“You can’t play every week. Unfortunately the Seve Trophy doesn’t count for the Order of Merit.” Nor for Ryder Cup points, of course.

Westwood was nine behind after an opening 74 on Thursday but has added successive 69s to be on seven under par.

He is back this week after a fortnight off and commented: “I needed the break.

“I only played once in the two weeks and I was obviously going to be rusty, but each day is feeling better.”