Lee Westwood winning race to be fit for Ryder Cup

European Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie today revealed that injured Lee Westwood should be fit to play against the United States at Celtic Manor.

A ruptured calf muscle has forced the world No3 to rest at his holiday home in Portugal rather than compete in the US PGA Championship, which starts at a rain-soaked Whistling Straits today.

There were fears that the injury was so severe that Westwood, a vital member of every European team since 1997, would be forced to miss this year's clash in Wales from 1-3 October.

However, after receiving a progress report from Chubby Chandler, Westwood's manager, Montgomerie said: "Lee will be hitting balls in four weeks, which is great news for everybody in Europe.

"He's our top-ranked player and our team will be greatly weakened if he didn't make it."

Montgomerie said Westwood wanted to compete in the Vivendi Cup, which starts in Paris on

23 September. The skipper said: "I would be glad to see him play there. If he doesn't, I'm sure three practice rounds around Celtic Manor will be good enough for Lee."

The encouraging news about Westwood was about the only boost for Montgomerie whose preparations for this week's Major have been marred by renewed questions about his personal life.

The Scot denied he had taken out an injunction to prevent a Sunday tabloid newspaper printing stories relating to the state of his marriage and insisted the matter would not affect his captaincy.

Montgomerie said: "I've spoken to a number of the players, and there's no issue here at all."

US skipper Corey Pavin will also play later today haunted by a public row with a senior commentator from the Golf Channel. Jim Gray yesterday said Pavin had told him Tiger Woods would be picked for Celtic Manor even if the troubled world No1 failed to qualify on merit.

"I never said such a thing," said Pavin. Gray responded by calling Pavin "a liar".

The PGA Championship is the last qualifying event for the American team with Woods 10th in the standings. Pavin will reveal his four wildcards for the 12-man team on 7 September.