Ryder Cup veteran Lee Westwood happy to miss morning session at Gleneagles

Europe's Lee Westwood has admitted that starting this year's competition in the afternoon session was not a problem for the Ryder Cup stalwart.

The 41-year-old has appeared in the competition nine times throughout his career, and usually starts higher up the captain's pecking order.

He insisted that the later start time was not a problem, however, as he and partner Jamie Donaldson sealed a two-hole foursomes victory over USA's Jim Furyk and Matt Kuchar.

"[It was] not tough at all," Westwood is quoted as saying by the Yorkshire Post. "Having a lie-in was a new thing for me, it was nice.

"We've got a really strong side of 12 and somebody is going to have to sit out. We tried to do our bit when called upon this afternoon.

"Jamie and I were pretty much smiling all the way around. When you play good golf it makes you happy."

The pair contributed a point as Europe took a 5-3 lead going into the second day of play in the 40th Ryder Cup.