Golf

Lee Westwood might be unable to play on the European Tour next week, even though that is where he wants to train.

Another bout of tonsillitis forced Westwood to withdraw from this week's Omega European Masters in Switzerland and he had not entered for next week's German Masters in Cologne, but in view of his unexpected week off he has now asked for an invitation.

However, with the tournament having a restricted field of only 78, there are just six invite places and they have already been allocated to Americans Fred Couples and John Daly, Germans Bernhard Langer, Alex Cejka and Marcel Siem and Swede Daniel Chopra.

Four other members of Faldo's team - Graeme McDowell, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Robert Karlsson and Soren Hansen - are playing, along with Darren Clarke and Colin Montgomerie.

Karlsson was originally playing in Switzerland and not Germany, but made the switch because he wanted to give a neck strain a longer rest.

Unlike Westwood he decided to change before the closing date for entries.