Lee Westwood threw his hat in the ring to become the Team Europe Captain at the 2022 Ryder Cup in Rome ahead of the year-opening tournament at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club.
The 45 year old has played in ten Ryder Cup events spanning from 1997 and 2016, winning on seven occasions, but was in a Vice Captain role during Thomas Bjørn's victorious team in Paris last year.
Westwood believes he can still work his way into newly-appointed Padraig Harington's Team Europe side for the event at Whistling Straights in 2020 before replacing his former Ryder Cup team-mate at the helm two years later.
"I'd love to have it in Italy," Westwood said. "I'll not lie to you. That would be ideal for me to be captain in Italy.
"I think this time around, I proved the end of last year, that I can still win tournaments, and I feel like I can still qualify for a Ryder Cup Team.
"It would be daft to go to have gone for the next one because I'd like to play in it. If I'm not there, then I'd like to help out in some way and gain a bit more experience.
"But after that, (in) Italy, I'll be 49 and that's the ideal time to be captain in my point of view."
Westwood ended a four-year wait to get back in the winner's circle and did it style - hitting a stunning 64 to claim the seventh Rolex Series Event of the 2018 season at the Nedbank Golf Challenge hosted by Gary Player - and hopes to continue his good form at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship presented by EGA.
"The way I finished last year off, I'm looking forward to getting going this year as quickly as possible. Sort of in the same vein of form," he added.
"This is always a good place to start the year. Conditions are perfect and it's a good run of tournaments in pretty much guaranteed weather and the golf courses are in brilliant condition.
"You take a lot of confidence from any win, but one in a Rolex Series, it obviously means a little bit more and to finish it off as I did, which I haven't done for some time."
World Number Three Dustin Johnson is targeting a return to the top of the Official World Golf Rankings in 2019 with another strong showing in the United Arab Emirates.
The American is making his third appearance at the event, having finished second and ninth in his two previous attempts, and he is hopeful a good performance at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club can be a springboard for the rest of the year.
"All the guys at the top of the World Rankings are playing very well, and they have been for the last few years," Johnson said.
"It's going to be tough to get back to that Number One spot, but you know, if I continue to play well, continue to play like I have the last couple years, then I think I'll get back there.
The 2016 US Open Championship winner has also never won a regular European Tour event, something he is desperate to change.
"It would definitely mean a lot," Johnson added. "I would like to win over here.
"Obviously I haven't played too many events over here, but yeah, I want to win every tournament I play in no matter where it is and what tournament it is.
"It's definitely a goal of mine this week is to put myself in position to have a chance to win on Sunday."
