| -9 L Westwood (Eng); -8 A Bjork (Swe), J Luiten (Ned); -7 S Jamieson (Sco); -6 R Rock (Eng), K Samooja (Fin); C Lee (Sco); -5 M Kinhult (Swe), L Herbert (Aus), W Ormsby (Aus), MW Lee (Aus). Selected others: -4 I Poulter (Eng); -2 M Fitzpatrick (Eng), T Fleetwood (Eng); E P Harington (Ire); +1 M Kaymer (Ger); +3 R MacIntyre (Sco) |
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Lee Westwood made the most of the benign afternoon conditions as he posted a superb nine-under-par 62 for a one-shot lead at the Scottish Open.
The 1998 champion’s opening round at the Renaissance Club in East Lothian included eagles at the par-five third – where he came within inches of an albatross – and seventh.
Alexander Bjork and Joost Luiten share second, with Scotland’s Scott Jamieson a further shot back.
“It was nice,” said Westwood.
“First and foremost we got a little bit lucky with the best side of the draw, but you’ve still got to make hay while the sun shines or the wind drops and I did that.
“I had to be disciplined at the US Open and I just tried to carry that on here, playing away from some flags and attacking others.”
Australia’s Min-Woo Lee set the early clubhouse target of 66 but was overhauled as Westwood finished strongly with four birdies in five holes from the 12th.
Fellow Englishman and Ryder Cup colleague Ian Poulter is five strokes off the lead, while Tommy Fleetwood – the highest-ranked player in the field – is two under alongside Matthew Fitzpatrick and Graham McDowell.
Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre carded a triple-bogey six on the penultimate hole as he struggled to a 74, while countryman Paul Lawrie is a shot better off in his 620th and final European Tour event.
Jamieson carded nine birdies and two bogeys in his 64 and said: “Seven under on any day is a good score. But on a day like this, in what feels like a big event, it’s a great way to start the week.
“I was a bit scrappy out of the blocks but managed to steal a birdie on the second, made a good up and down on the next for another and started to hit some good shots after that.”
Defending champion Bernd Wiesberger has an eight-shot deficit on Westwood after day one.
