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THE RYDER CUP

October 2, 2010

Lee Westwood

NEWPORT, WALES

Q. Talk about getting on a run, taking apart two guys, but just the message that you're able to send, No. 1 in the world and Stricker is quite a player. It's pretty important what you're doing, isn't it?
LEE WESTWOOD: Yeah, I didn't really think about it that way, because at the end of the day, a point is a point, doesn't matter who you play.
We really needed to change it around. Two points is a lot to be going behind, so we need to get some momentum going and try and carry that through the whole team.

Q. What was the mood, the sense like in the afternoon session, and how is it different right now?
LEE WESTWOOD: Well, I think it helped, we were playing foursomes.

Q. And the key going forward tomorrow?
LEE WESTWOOD: Well, just to not let our guard down. I think we may have done that slightly the first morning when we got called after five holes, we had a bit of momentum going and reverse the score, so tonight, really going to sit down and get it into everybody's head that we need to come out tomorrow fighting quickly and strong, because we know the American Team will be.

Q. Pretty strong decision by Monty to send you out with Luke. What went into that decision?
LEE WESTWOOD: Foursomes is a tough game. You know, if you don't get it going, it's really hard to turn it around, so you need some experienced players and some guys that have played it a fair bit. I have got a good record, and Luke has got a good record in foursomes, so there was no reason why we were not going to gel together. We get on well, we use the same golf ball. There was no reason not to think we were not going to play well together.

Q. What does it feel like out there for you?
LEE WESTWOOD: I feel like I've played seven tournaments today. No, it's been good, my ankle is in great shape. I wear a brace when I play, and just took it off there, a bit of an ankle support, that's all, and it looks in great shape.

Q. Knowing how modest you are, I know you wouldn't look at it that way, but your teammates certainly have told us that there's no question you're the backbone of this European Ryder Cup effort right now, especially with Darren and Sergio in the back room and not on the golf course right now. How comfortable are you in that hole?
LEE WESTWOOD: I don't know whether I'm the backbone. The strength of this European Team I think is it's strength in depth, more than one man but I'm quite willing to stand up there and lead if anybody needs to be led and answer questions and educate people in what is going to go on during the week.

Q. Do you think the tide is turning?
LEE WESTWOOD: Hopefully. We are in good shape. We got off to a great start this afternoon and there's a long way to go. We have to keep this momentum going tomorrow morning because you know the Americans are going to come out strong tomorrow morning. There's a lot of blue on the board.

Q. How are you feeling? You look a little tired?
LEE WESTWOOD: I feel tired, as well. No, my ankle is great, aching all over, looking forward to a shower and something to eat and going to bed.

Q. You guys are leading the Europeans, did you ever imagine that the Americans would come out as strongly as they did in the first two rounds?
LEE WESTWOOD: Yeah, we know they are going to play well. There's a lot of them on form, but myself and Luke never played together in foursomes. We just figured it would be a good match. We have a lot of similar sort of attitudes to the game, very laid back, and Luke is a great putter. We kept it in play.

Q. How does this rate in golf in your career up to now?
LEE WESTWOOD: It's about 25 years since I played three separate rounds in one day. I was about 12 years old last time I did that.

Q. What are the plans tonight?
LEE WESTWOOD: Relax, go to sleep.

End of FastScripts

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