Golf Update: European Ryder Cup star Lee Westwood says he is feeling "pretty strong" as he prepares to get back to golf
World number three, Lee Westwood is recovering fast from the calf injury to make it to the foursomes and four balls of 2010.
Speculations have been in the air that Lee Westwood won’t be physically fit to take part in the Ryder cup. These speculations were arising fear in the captain of the team, Colin Montgomerie that the player won’t be able to make it. Therefore, he was planning to consider a player in reserve.
However, Lee Westwood has decided to push the rumours aside by talking to the press regarding his injury. According to him, he is way ahead of his schedule which means that Monty should relax and not worry about his disappearing on the final day. Furthermore, his management team told the vice captain of the Ryder cup team, Paul McGinley that Lee Westwood will be back very soon and will take the charge at Celtic Manor.
Paul Mc Ginley is one of the five vice captains and his concerns for the player are right. As right after the celebration ceremony of the Ryder cup which will take place on 31st September at Millennium Stadium, the four ball session will start. This is a routine physical assessment of the players. As for Westwood, questions are arising that few days are left in the final day and the player is still not back in his 100% fitness. This scenario might persist in the future as well and if it does then the European team is in trouble.
Just for the token of remembrance, Lee Westwood ruptured the plantaris muscle in his right calf three months back at the French Open. Ever since, he has not taken part in any competitive golf. However, he took his chance at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational which was held in the first week of August at the Turning stone resort but right after the first two rounds, Westwood took a withdrawal. He told the press that he was finding it extremely painful and difficult to put weight on his right leg.
However, recently a spokesman for International Sports Management told BBC Sport on Tuesday, that Lee Westwood would join his team at Celtic Manor on 1st October and he will be fit enough to bear the challenge of the American team.
At another place, Westwood’s management team said "Everything is going according to plan. He is in the gym every day. He's confident he will be ready; he was confident when he stopped playing last month that he would be."
Regarding Westwood’s past achievements in the Ryder cup, he has made a successful cut in six Ryder cups in which he won fourteen matches, lost ten and halved five. However, his last appearance at the Valhalla in 2008 was not quite satisfactory. Europe lost the Ryder cup and Lee picked up only two halves. However that was past as just before the injury, Westwood’s game was superb and that was the reason that made Monty consider him in the final team despite the problem, as he knew that the world number three will be a huge asset of skills and experience for the team.
Moreover, Lee will be making an appearance at a fund raiser which is taking place at the Archerfield Golf Club in Scotland. The event is being hosted by Darren Clarke and Sir Ian Botham. This appearance will serve a purpose of giving a sign to the captain and the concerned authorities that the wounded player is back in his form.
This is it for the world number three who after winning the Race to Dubai last year, finished second at both the Masters and the Open. Although he missed the USPGA Championship last month, but he is ready to come back to show the Americans the true meaning of being the World number three. Only few days are left for the October to arrive so till then let’s wait.
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