Westwood Starts Ryder Cup Smack Talk

The Ryder Cup Smack Talk has started already. European Tour stalwart Lee Westwood who will be making his tenth consecutive team has taken a page from the Seve Book of gamesmanship.

Westwood is quoted as saying that Tiger Woods may be a distraction for the American Team.

“I don’t know what impact there will be from having Tiger around. They have always struggled to find a partner for Tiger that’s been successful. He could have an adverse effect in the team room. People have always seemed to try to do too much when they have partnered (with) him. It might be different if he’s one of the vice captains – you don’t know.”

Now Woods won’t be hitting any shots but Captain Davis Love III has added him as a vice captain. That may have had more to do with Love’s friendship with Woods than it does for his leadership ability. And a bored Tiger had let it be known he was willing to do all could for an American win. And he did serve on the Task Force the PGA of America put in place to find a way to break the European Tour’s dominance at the Ryder Cup.

Westwood has a dry sense of humor and made a veiled shot at that task force.

“They have got this task force in place, they are obviously being very serious and doing as much as they can to win the cup back. There is a lot of pressure on them.”

And he took a shot at Love’s captaincy also.

“His (Love’s) captaincy at Chicago was great for a couple of days,” he said, (Love’s team lost a 4 point lead in a Sunday collapse) “I don’t know if something went wrong on the Sunday, or the team didn’t play very well for some reason, but that will be in the back of their minds.”

I can’t help but imagine that Westwood had a sly smile and his tongue stuck in his cheek as he said that.

Maybe Westy wanted to start getting in the American’s heads even before they tee it up but Westy may be open for some shots himself.

He hasn’t won since 2014 in Malaysia and sits at 43^rd in the world and was well down the list on points in both the European Ryder Cup List and the World Points List.

He didn’t earn a spot on this team but was a captain’s pick by his very close friend Darren Clarke. The second Clarke was selected as captain Westwood was getting measured for his Ryder Cup uniform.

There was no way Clarke wasn’t selecting his closest friend regardless of his level of play.

So Westy should get ready for some payback from the American troops. There is always a bit of gamesmanship at the Ryder Cup and Westwood and his mates have had good teachers in Seve, Sergio and crew. But it maybe time for the Americans to give it back to the Euros and Woods is so very skilled in that area. That may be his role for Love to help get in the Euros heads.

Westwood has made an early volley at the Americans. And he’s certainly opened himself up as a target.