Lee Westwood admitted things “could have been a lot worse” after his opening round at the Open Championship.
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The world number two made a dismal start to his challenge by making three successive bogeys between the third and fifth holes. But he salvaged something from his opening day by making four birdies, with another two bogeys, to finish one-over, six shots off the lead.
Q. Considering this start then, are you pleased with this round?
LEE WESTWOOD: Yeah, it could have been a lot worse. 3-over through five holes is a poor start, and you don't want to be chasing in major championships.
Q. The English generally started on a good day.
LEE WESTWOOD: I've just come off the golf course. I have no idea what anybody shot.
Q. Do you think it's time to have an English champion?
LEE WESTWOOD: I have no idea. Hopefully.
Q. Does it surprise you when an amateur comes in and shoots --
LEE WESTWOOD: Well, not really. The state of amateur golf now, the really good ones, they're not amateurs in the sense of when I was an amateur. They've played professional tournaments, and they've traveled the world and experienced difficult golf courses. They're just not amateurs anymore; they're semi-professional.
Q. Is it a slightly misleading term?
LEE WESTWOOD: Yeah. I doubt any of them have got jobs.
Q. Talk about your game.
LEE WESTWOOD: My game was pretty good today. I hit a lot of good shots. Like I say, on the greens I didn't capitalise on it. What I thought were a few good putts they didn't go in. There were three or four that I thought I made a foot short or two foot short that turned away, and that's the difference between a 71 and a 67.
Q. Do you feel the components are there?
LEE WESTWOOD: Yeah, the game is in pretty good shape. Just got to get off to a quickish start in the morning. Just carry on the way I've been playing and hopefully roll a few in now, go on the putting green, practise there a bit and get it right.
Q. Do you think you're going to get the better half of the draw again tomorrow?
LEE WESTWOOD: Yeah, we've been lucky. There's a definite split there, isn't there?
