Lee Westwood relishing fresh Ryder Cup view after vice-captain call up

Lee Westwood is relishing the chance to experience his first Ryder Cup as part of the captain’s staff, having been named as one of Thomas Bjorn’s vice-captains at Wentworth on Tuesday.

The Dane also named Graeme McDowell, Luke Donald and Padraig Harrington as part of his backroom team, with Robert Karlsson having been named last year.

Harrington is the only of the five European vice-captains to have held the role before, working with Paul McGinley and Darren Clarke at Gleneagles and Hazletine.

Westwood has played in ten Ryder Cups and while admitting his chances of a playing role have waned, he looking forward to a new experience at Le Golf National come September.

"Obviously I've been on 10 Ryder Cup sides, but never been involved with the role behind the scenes, and as a vice-captain,” he said.

“So when Thomas asked me to take that role, I was obviously delighted and jumped at the chance.

“Hopefully at the right times, we can give the right or the correct words to somebody less experienced than us that might be playing their first one, and hopefully not say the wrong things at the wrong times, as well.

"We have to consider ourselves as backroom team and psychologists and all sorts that week. Thomas needs people with experience, and that's what he's got."

McDowell, who has not entirely ruled himself out of a playing role in Paris, has won three of the four Ryder Cups he’s been involved is equally excited to earn a new perspective of the biggest tournament in golf.

"I think my experience at Paris National, the four Ryder Cups I've played, have been the greatest moments of my career,” McDowell said.

“I'm just excited to take on a slightly different view of things, and obviously help the 12 players be as ready as they possibly can to regain this trophy that we all care so much about."

Bjorn's American counterpart Jim Furyk has named Davis Love, Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker as vice-captains for the tournament which takes place in France over the weekend of September 28.