WESTWOOD’S RYDER CUP SPOT ‘SECURE’

LEE WESTWOOD’S joint runner-up finish in the 80th Masters will be enough to earn him a 10th appearance for Europe in the Ryder Cup in September, according to his manager Chubby Chandler. And given Chandler also looks after Europe’s captain Darren Clarke, his opinion carries weight. ‘Darren’s regard for Lee’s abilities is such that I don’t think he will need much of an excuse to pick him, and now Lee has given him one,’ said Chandler. Westwood will hope to save Clarke a wildcard pick and make it into the team through the automatic standings. Up to 35th in the world, he will be in all the events that matter over the summer. ‘If you come out and contend seriously in the first major of the year, you must be doing something right,’ said Westwood. ‘Hopefully this will kick-start a good summer.’ It was a superb Masters for Clarke, with seven Europeans in the top 10:

1 DANNY WILLETT (Eng)

=2 LEE WESTWOOD (Eng)

=4 PAUL CASEY (Eng)

=7 MATTHEW FITZPATRICK (Eng) SOREN KJELDSEN (Den)

= 10 RORY McILROY (NIre) JUSTIN ROSE (Eng)