Lee Westwood rules out being Europe's Ryder Cup captain in 2023

Lee Westwood has taken himself out of the reckoning to be Europe’s next Ryder Cup captain, deciding instead to continue concentrating on his playing career.

Westwood, 48, was considered a certainty to succeed Padraig Harrington and assume the reins for the 2023 match in Rome, where Europe will attempt to win back the trophy that they lost by a record scoreline in Wisconsin two months ago.

Yet having become the oldest player ever to qualify for a Ryder Cup team by right and having remained in the elite since his extraordinary revival from struggling outside the world’s top 100 in 2018, Westwood understandably still has his eye on individual titles.

The Worksop veteran is world No 38, with only six other Europeans above him in the rankings and it is eminently feasible that he could make a record 12th appearance in the Italian capital.