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Westwood taken to hospital

Lee Westwood was forced to pull out of the Open de France pro-am with a suspected blood clot in his right leg © Getty Images

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Lee Westwood has been taken to hospital with a suspected blood clot in his right leg on the eve of his last competitive start before competing at the Open on July 15.

The world No. 3 is in Paris ahead of teeing it up at the Open de France and has already been forced to pull out of the pro-am event at Le Golf National after complaining of pain in his right calf. With the Open at St Andrews only two weeks away, the 37-year-old will be anxious to get back on course as soon as possible as he bids to eradicate the inconsistencies in his game that blighted his chances of winning a maiden major title at the US Open.

Former European Tour colleague Stuart Cage, who now works for Westwood's management company International Sports Management, said: "Lee felt pain in the calf and it was swollen yesterday. But when he woke this morning his ankle was swollen too, so he decided to have it checked out in the physio truck.

"The French doctor there thought it could be a blood clot and said Lee should go to hospital for tests.

"He has not pulled out of the tournament yet because he is still really keen to play. A decision will not be taken until the results of the tests are known. Obviously he has to take the doctor's decision seriously because it's a very important time of the year with The Open coming up."

Westwood was not the only player who had to pull out of the pro-am. World No. 8 Ian Poulter did not compete after a bite on his right shin appeared to be infected, while Europe Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie rested an Achilles problem and Italian teenager Matteo Manassero had to sit out with a bruised left hand after being struck by a ball.

"I was practising at Woburn on Monday and got bitten by a horsefly or something," Poulter explained. "It was swollen yesterday and when I put my hand in my pocket I felt a big lump on my groin and knew it wasn't right.

"I went to the doctors, was given antibiotics and decided I was well enough to fly this morning, but that's probably not done it any good. An English doctor said I should go and have an intravenous drip but the French one did not think that was the right thing to do and has given me tablets.

"I'll come up in the morning to see how it is. Hopefully I'll be okay, but walking for five hours is not going to do it any good and nor is the heat."

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