Tuesday 15 November 2016 10:55, UK
Danny Willett has apologised to Lee Westwood for costing him a place at next week's World Cup of Golf.
The Ryder Cup stars were due to pair up for England at the team event in Melbourne but Willett withdrew on Friday due to a long-standing back concern.
Justin Rose was next in line according to the ranking system but also withdrew, opening the door for Chris Wood.
Under tournament rules Wood - as the highest-ranked team member - was entitled to choose his playing partner and went for Andy Sullivan, leaving Westwood out in the cold.
Willett said: "Obviously when the guys have booked their flights I think it's not quite right just because one guy pulls out that the other guy has to kind of withdraw without having a say in it.
"I think you just then go down the list and see which guy potentially wants to play. With such short notice, I don't see why they have switched it around and made it two brand new guys.
"It was a decision made purely within my best interests going forward. And unfortunately the backlash is the Westy situation. I just think it was a bit unfair for that tournament to kind of go about it the way they did.
"I spoke to Westy and I apologised. Westy has been pretty good about it and it was a shame how it ended because we were both looking forward to going down there and pairing up."
Willett's back trouble will not prevent him lining up in this week's DP World Tour Championship, where he could win the Race to Dubai for the first time.
Asked if he would refund the price of Westwood's flight to Australia he said: "You never know. If we have a good week this week I'll be able to buy him a bottle of wine for Christmas."
Watch this week's DP World Tour Championship live on Sky Sports. Coverage begins at 8am on Thursday on Sky Sports 4.
