Westwood and Garcia set for Ryder Cup-style clash as LIV stars handed captaincy

Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia are used to teaming up when it comes to match-play golf, but this weekend they will go up against each other as part of the Icon Series

Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia will swap Jon Rahm and Brooks Koepka for Paul Scholes and Gianfranco Zola this week, with the LIV Golf duo taking charge of the Icon Series.

Westwood and Garcia know matchplay and team golf better than anyone having announced themselves as European Ryder Cup stalwarts during their careers, but this week proves a little different. Taking charge of Team England and Team World respectively, Westwood and Garcia will work with some of football’s greatest names across the two-day event in Bangkok.

Both will have hopes of captaining their continent on the Ryder Cup stage at some stage over the next few years – golf politics aside aside of course, but we won’t go into that.

READ MORE: Shane Lowry reacts to X-rated US Ryder Cup speech and reveals ‘we’ve all seen it’READ MORE: Rory McIlroy sends message to Bryson DeChambeau over LIV Golf fallout and US Open battle

For now though they will have to settle for Scholes and co in Thailand, but it is an opportunity both are relishing. “I’m looking forward to it. Gives us a chance to wet our captaincy appetites,” Westwood told Mirror Sport. “It is going to be interesting. The lads are really up for it. It is friendly competition but they are serious about it.

“They are all out on the range now practising, and you know how competitive they were as footballers, they are bringing that onto the golf course.” The Team England squad includes the likes of Scholes, Robbie Fowler, Teddy Sheringham, John Terry and Theo Walcott.

Garcia’s team meanwhile has names such as Zola, David Ginola, Ruud Gullit and Gabriel Batistuta, at his disposal. Despite their talents, golf can be a humbling sport, even for the best, and Garcia is expecting a couple of hiccups from the starring amateurs.

“They are so competitive. That does not mean they are not going to hit some iffy shots here and there,” he said with a smile. “At the end of the day it is not their sport, you feel it a little bit more, in front of a few thousand fans, but I am really looking forward to it. It is an honour to be here and captain some of the guys we have looked up to on the football field. We have seen some of the things they have done, they are just unbelievable. I am really excited about that.”

Football and golf are often two sports that crossover. This week’s event is as good as evidence as any that footballers love their golf, but the same can be said the other way too. Both Westwood and Garcia are passionate football fans, albeit having witnessed differing views when following their teams.

For all the latest on news, politics, sports, and showbiz from the USA, go to The Mirror US.

Garcia is a fan of arguably football’s most succesful club, having been a Real Madrid supporter since he was a youngster. Westwood’s footballing journey meanwhile has been a much more humble one, having pledged his loyalties to Nottingham Forest through the Football League.

Things are looking as good as they have for some time for Westwood’s Forest though, and he teased the thought of Nuno Espirito Santo’s men taking on Garcia’s Madrid in Europe next season. “Can you imagine next season when Forest have to play Real Madrid in the Champions League,” said the Englishman, as Garcia replied: “How good is that going to be?”

Of course Forest still have plenty of work left to do if they are to earn a clash with the 15-time Champions League winners, but they do find themselves in the top-four with 11 games to go. It comes just three years after they were promoted from the Championship, beating Huddersfield Town in the playoff final, Westwood’s favourite moment as a Forest fan.

When it comes to Garcia picking his most memorable Madrid memory, he has plenty to pick from. “I’ve watched four of the last five [Champions Leagues] we have won,” claimed the 2017 Masters champion, before Westwood interjected: “I went to the Championship playoff final against Huddersfield, doesn’t quite compare does it?”

“There you go! Every little thing counts,” replied Garcia with a laugh. The conversation quickly turned back to golf, and both captains reiterated their excitement for taking charge some of football’s best, even if their team talks in the locker room don’t emulate Sir Alex Ferguson or Jose Mourinho.

“It is nice to hang around these guys,” declared Westwood. “Most of them started really playing football when I started on tour so I’ve been watching them play for 20, 30 years. To be able to share a locker room with them is a real interesting dynamic. Our team talks are probably not going to be the best they’ve ever heard in their careers, but we will try and keep it fun.”