Westwood on course

Westwood: nicely placed after the opening round

Lee Westwood’s bid to regain the world number one spot got off to fine start after a first round 68 in the Indonesian Masters at Royale Jakarta Golf Club.

The Englishman, who turns 38 on Sunday, will replace Martin Kaymer at the top of the rankings if he wins in Indonesia and Luke Donald fails to take victory in this week’s PGA Tour event – The Heritage at Hilton Head.

And world number two Westwood put himself in good position to keep up his end of the bargain by firing five birdies and just a solitary bogey in a four-under par round which left him tied eighth and just two shots off the lead.

Westwood is the star attraction at the $750,000 Asian Tour event but it was his playing partner, Siddikur of Bangladesh, who took the day one honours.

Siddukur came home in just 31 shots to fire a six-under 66 on the par 72 and leads by one from Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee and Prayad Marksaeng, Singapore’s Lam Chih Bing, Filipino Antonio Lascuna and Koreans Park Hyun-bin and Hwang In-choon .

Westwood was unperturbed by the fact that he has a chance of regaining the world number one spot this week. He just wants to concentrate on the task in front of him.

“I’ll let things take its course and see what happens at the end of the week. Like I said before, I’m here to win a golf tournament,” said Westwood, Europe’s number one in 2000 and 2009.

Westwood, who birdied his closing two holes, endured another day of struggle on the greens however as his switch to a belly putter failed to reap instant rewards.

“It has been the story for me so far, hitting it great from tee to green and giving myself a lot of chances but not taking it.”
Lee Westwood Quotes of the week

Frustrated

“I played solidly but I was a bit frustrated out there. It has been the story for me so far, hitting it great from tee to green and giving myself a lot of chances but not taking it,” added the Englishman.

Westwood, who swapped his short putter for a longer one at Augusta, said he was still getting used to the belly putter.

“I’ve used the belly putter in two rounds at Augusta and it’s the first time I’m using it here since 2004 so it needs some getting used to,” he said.

“I’m playing well and confident of familiarising myself on the golf course.”

Siddikur admitted feeling nervous playing with world number two Westwood. “I saw the draw yesterday and was feeling a bit excited playing with one of the best players in the world. I have to admit I felt a bit shaky this morning playing with Westwood,” he said.

But the fine form which saw him finish eighth in last week’s Maybank Malaysian Open and second at the SAIL Open in India last month helped settle his nerves and two chip-ins helped Siddikur to the top of the leaderboard.

“I was hitting and putting very well and it has been like this for a few weeks now. I’m getting more confidence every week and that’s why I’ve been playing so well,” said the 2010 Brunei Open winner.