With four vying for top spot, Westwood shines in Shanghai
At this week's WGC HSBC Champions there are no fewer than four contenders who can finish the week as world No. 1, but it was current top dog Lee Westwood who most impressed earlier today.
That's not to say the Englishman is having things all his own way; Tiger Woods, the man Westwood recently knocked off his perch after five years at the top, is only two strokes behind.
It's the first time since 1997 that four players have all turned out for a tournament with the opportunity capable of taking the prized top ranking, with Phil Mickelson and Martin Kaymer also capable of doing so this weekend. And at his first tournament after three weeks out with a calf injury, there was a fear that Westwood might have struggled today in Shanghai.
In fact, the Englishman finished his round six-under-par 66, just a stroke behind the overall leader, Italy's Francesco Molinari. Even Westwood wasn't quite prepared for such a strong opening round, telling Europeantour.com: "Yeah, I was a little surprised.
"I didn't really go out on the golf course with a number in mind, because I've played one stroke-play round since The Open Championship so I didn't really know what to expect. I've been at home unable to practice, I've just been trying to get my leg right."
Westwood continued: "I just went out there to enjoy myself as world number one and have a bit of fun. I played well, I've been hitting it alright on the range."
"Not that I need to justify why I'm World Number One when I go out there, but it is nice to play well when you go out there after moving up the rankings.
"I'd like to reinforce the message even more by winning more tournaments."
Even if Tiger Woods benefited from a lucky break at one stage, the 34-year-old had a good round too. Woods drove into bushes on the 15th, but played his follow up shot through a fortuitous gap in the hedges to a few yards shy of the green; a pitch shot from there resulted in an unlikely but welcome par.
"It felt good today," Woods told Europeantour.com. "I hit a lot of good golf shots, putted really well."
Phil Mickelson is only a shot shy of Woods, and as defending champion he clearly enjoys playing as Sheshan International. But Martin Kaymer made a less auspicious start, the 25-year-old only managing to come home at level par today.
Kaymer has won four times already on the European Tour this season, but with a poor finish at last week's Valderrama Masters, there's a sense that the German is beginning to run out of puff as the season draws to a close.
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