Lee Westwood insists he is focused on winning his first major rather than the Ryder Cup after he carded a six-under-par 65 to lead the US PGA Championship alongside Kevin Chappell and Ryan Palmer.
Westwood, 15.00 to win the US PGA Championship, maintained his good form from last week’s WGC-Bridgestone Invitational as he kept his composure on the difficult course in Kentucky.
His round got off to a bad start when he double-bogeyed the first but he picked up four birdies on the bounce and was also able to hole from 40 feet to end his round in style.
He is currently out of the automatic qualifying places for the Ryder Cup and might have to rely on a captain’s pick from Paul McGinley.
However, speaking after his opening round, Westwood admitted that a European Ryder Cup place is at the back of his mind.
He told Sky Sports: “I think Paul already knows what I have got. I think this week is more about it being a major championship and trying to win a major championship and playing well this week.
“I have always felt like the Ryder Cup comes as a consequence of playing well and there is only ever any point thinking about the Ryder Cup when you have actually made the team.
“So I break it down bit by bit – I am not smart enough to focus on two things at once – and I am just concentrating on the PGA Championship and trying to win my first major.”
Link Dafabet