Lee Westwood has said he is ready to make the jump from player to captain for the 2022 Ryder Cup in Whistling Straits.
Westwood has played in nine Ryder Cups to date, since his debut in 1997, and has scored 23 points whilst being on the winning side on seven occasions.
The 42-year-old, who is wanting to qualify for this year’s Ryder Cup, told Sky that he wants to play ‘a little longer’, but that he is aiming to captain Europe in 2022.
He said: “I’d like to go on a little longer.
“Two or three years and then I can think about the captaincy. If I put my name in to do the job in four years, I can think about the seniors after that.”
The next Ryder Cup is being held at Hazeltine in September. Westwood has revealed he has told good friend, captain Clark only to select him based on form.
Westwood told The Guardian: “I can put Darren’s mind at rest on that front.
“The Ryder Cup is an event you want to be going into playing well.
“I’ve gone into it playing poorly and I’ve had picks when I’ve been playing well and justified the pick. The last thing you want is to get a pick and not justify it.
“Past record only counts if you’re playing well. You don’t want to be playing if you’re struggling, there would be too much pressure.
It’s a goal for this year, hopefully, to get some form together and qualify for the team.
“I am playing a lot of golf after the Irish Open in May, only one or two good weeks and you’re right in there. If not, I’m happy to go along and get some captaincy experience as vice-captain.
“If you’ve played in nine Ryder Cups you’ve got the respect of the players and feel like you can help. I have played under nine different captains, so I’ve experienced all there is to experience in that regard.”
