Westwood denies rift with McIlroy, wants to partner up at Ryder Cup

ATLANTA -- Lee Westwood is open to the possibility of partnering Rory McIlroy at the Ryder Cup, dispelling talk of a feud between two of Europe's key players.

Speculation of a rift between the pair has been rife since McIlroy quit the management company Westwood has been with for 20 years, with the two then exchanging views over the split on Twitter.

But according to Westwood, they remain friends and he would love to play alongside the world No. 1 at Medinah next week.

"We were talking about it as we were going around Crooked Stick. I said to him, 'have you had any thoughts about who you are playing with a Medinah? Because if nobody else wants to play with you and you're desperate, I really don't mind filling in,'" Westwood told the Daily Telegraph, referring to a conversation the pair had at the BMW Championship two weeks ago. "We had a laugh about that.

"There is nothing there. Fans must watch us having banter on the course thinking ,'so where is this grudge?,'" Westwood said. "So he left the management company I'm with. So what? It was a business decision. There is nothing personal with me.

"There is nothing between us personally that would get in the way," he explained. "Who wouldn't want to play with Rory when he's in this nick?

"I'd love to. It'd be good," he said. "In fact, it would probably be way better than good, particularly in the four-balls. We'd make a ton of birdies.''