Westwood paired with ex-stablemate McIlroy in Shanghai

Lee Westwood and Rory McIlroy were stablemates until last week

Lee Westwood will play with Rory McIlroy in China on Thursday less than a week after describing the 22-year-old's move to a different management company as a "bizarre decision".

McIlroy and Westwood are competing at the Shanghai Masters, a 30-man event with a record first prize of £1.25m.

The pair were stablemates until McIlroy's decision last week to quit Andrew 'Chubby' Chandler's ISM group.

Westwood tweeted his surprised reaction to McIlroy's move to Horizon Sports.

Dublin-based Horizon already has McIlroy's Ryder Cup partner Graeme McDowell on its books.

World number two Westwood and US Open champion McIlroy will be paired with home player Zhang Lian-wei on Thursday.

The field also includes Masters champion Charl Schwartzel and PGA Championship winner Keegan Bradley.

Three-time Major winner Padraig Harrington of Ireland and South Africa's two-time Major champion Retief Goosen will also make the trip to China to play on the Jack Nicklaus-designed course.

Ian Poulter, Colin Montgomerie and KJ Choi are also in the field.