Lee Westwood woe after poor start at the Open

Lee Westwood, many people's favourite for The Open, is already a long way back after a 73 - and not totally surprised to find himself there.

Making his 58th attempt to win a major, the world number three said: "I'm struggling with my swing a bit at the moment. I've been working at it for three or four weeks.

"The ball goes either left or right - not often straight."

Few were aware of that as he birdied the first two holes, sinking putts of three and 18 feet.

"The start was a bit of a lie," he added. "You'll get found out pretty quickly round an Open Championship course."

Sure enough, he double-bogeyed the 478-yard next, blocking a five-iron into sand and going off the other side with his recovery attempt.

That came after American Ryder Cup captain Davis Love, playing the sixth, had shanked a shot across the third green as Westwood approached it.

With further birdies at the seventh and ninth the 2010 runner-up turned in a one under 33, but he bogeyed four of the last six.

"I need to play better - I'm not going to make up any shots playing like that," he said.

PA