LEE WESTWOOD will play with Rory McIlroy in Shanghai today less than a week after describing the 22-year-old’s move to a different management company as a “bizarre decision”.

World number three McIlroy and world number two Westwood have been drawn together for the opening round of the Lake Malaren Shanghai Masters, a 30-man event offering a record first prize of €1.5 million.

The pair were stablemates until McIlroy told manager Andrew “Chubby” Chandler he was joining Graeme McDowell at Dublin-based Horizon. McIlroy then flew to Istanbul to spend time with Danish girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki, the women’s world number one tennis player, but resumes his career with interest surrounding what was behind his shock switch.

McDowell, competing in the Andalucia Masters this weekend, has distanced himself from McIlroy’s decision.

“I’ve heard I’m supposed to have enticed Rory, well I purposely took a back seat in it all,” said McDowell.

“Rory makes his own decisions and doesn’t listen to anybody. I certainly wasnt going to sway him about what to do with his career. Even if I could he’d only resent it if it didn’t work out.”

McDowell made a similar switch from ISM to Horizon earlier in his career.

“I went through the same process three or four years ago and it was very amicable. Rory’s split seems pretty amicable as well,” he said of his close friend.

“That’s life, it’s business, not personal. We are one big travelling circus out here and it pays to get on with each other,” added McDowell.

Among those also playing in Shanghai this weekend are Pádraig Harrington, Colin Montgomerie, Ian Poulter and Paul Casey.