Lee Westwood out of Volvo World Match Play Championship

LEE Westwood has followed Rory McIlroy and Luke Donald in deciding not to play next month’s Volvo World Match Play Championship in Spain.

The world’s top three all competed at Finca Cortesin last May, but, with Masters champion Bubba Watson and fellow American Hunter Mahan also likely absentees, the highest-ranked player in the 24-man field is set to be German No 16 Martin Kaymer.

World No 3 Westwood, 39, won the World Match Play at Wentworth in 2000, but went out at the last 16 stage to eventual winner Ian Poulter a year ago. McIlroy was beaten at the same stage by Graeme McDowell, while Donald reached the final. The trio have all dropped the event so that they are fresher for the following week’s BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth and the build-up to the US Open in San Francisco in June.

First prize at the Match Play is over £700,000 and group stage losers pocket £60,000.