Westwood wows, Mickelson yet to make a move
Some of the bigger names at the Open Championship have come out in muted style this afternoon, as increasingly gusty winds have become a factor at St Andrews - but Lee Westwood has just hit a purple patch, with five birdies in as many holes.
Westwood is five-under-par after the first eight, and looks to be picking up momentum - perhaps unsurprisingly, since the world No. 3 has three top three finishes at his last four majors.
But while Westwood is starting to assert himself, Phil Mickelson and Steve Stricker are both on level par after six holes. England's Paul Casey is two-under after 10, while Sergio Garcia is one-under having played six holes. But Luke Donald has had a tougher start, the English 32-year-old one-over after playing 11.
He's not a star name, but a new challenger to Rory McIlroy's record-breaking lead has also emerged in the shape of South Africa's Louis Oosthuizen, who has moved up into sole second position, having gone eight-under-par after 16 holes.
Of the earlier starters we haven't already mentioned elsewhere, Japan's Ryo Ishikawa finished four-under-par 68 and is currently tied for 13th place, while last year's runner-up Tom Watson had a disappointing opener, three bogeys in the first four holes meaning the eight-time major winner could only finish one-over-par.
Former world No. 1 David Duval has plunged down the ratings since his heyday ten years ago, but the American is still capable of performing well at majors on occasion. Sadly, this isn't one of those occasions, Duval repeating Watson's trick of finding three bogeys in the four opening holes, but adding another one on the 13th and a double just for good measure on the 17th to come home five-over-par 77.
All that on a day when Scotland's famed wind and rain were mercifully absent? Pray for double-D tomorrow.
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