Westwood ready to pass on Ryder Cup knowledge
Lee Westwood admitted Thursday he has one eye on Nick Faldo's Ryder Cup points record -- but would happily sacrifice the tally it it meant helping Europe beat the United States once again.
Westwood is competing in his 10th straight Ryder Cup at Hazeltine National, the oldest player on the team at age 43 but also one of the most successful of all-time.
He is trying to catch Faldo's all-time Ryder Cup record of 25 points and needs just two more points to equal his fellow Englishman.
"I'd be lying if I didn't say I wanted to get past Nick's record, because anybody involved in sport wants to break records," Westwood said on Thursday.
"That's what drives us all on, you know, to be able to say you're the best at anything.
"But if you give me a choice of not winning any points and the Europeans winning the Ryder Cup then that would definitely come first before getting in front of Nick's record. It is all about the team this week."
Catching Faldo shouldn't be too much of a problem for Westwood who has been on seven winning teams and boasts a record of 20-15 with six halved.
He went unbeaten in 2004 and 2006 and then equalled a record by reaching 12 matches without loss in 2008.
The world number 46 Westwood has come close but failed to win a major in 75 career starts. He has two other runner-up finishes at a major besides this year's Masters -- the 2010 Masters and the British Open -- and finished third six times.
Westwood said Thursday he would like to see more of the Ryder Cup's raucous crowds and loud music on the different pro golf tours.
- 'Jazz itself up' -
"We were on the range and there was music playing and all that, and that's what golf should be about nowadays," said the former world number one Westwood.
"It needs to jazz itself up a bit and get a bit more atmosphere in there.
"Certainly wouldn't worry about a phone going off with the music blaring out and stuff like that.
"It's a brilliant atmosphere to play under, and it's great to come over here and sense the partisanship."
Westwood is just five years younger than first time Team Europe captain Darren Clarke. He said Clarke has all the qualities of a good leader.
"Yeah, I am surprised he's so calm and sensible about everything. I've not seen this side to him before," Westwood joked.
"Everything you want from a captain. Not making any rash decisions, not making any comments that you think, oohh, that's a bit -- no, he's playing the game well."