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Under pressure Westwood feels the heat in Singapore

07/09/2006

Lee Westwood's attempts to silence his vocal critics have taken a major blow today after he slumped to a disappointing two-over-par 73 on the opening day of the Asian Tour's Barclays Singapore Open.

The former European number one is under added pressure to impress after he received Ian Woosnam's second wildcard entry into the European Ryder Cup team when Thomas Bjorn had been tipped to get the call-up due to his higher world and Ryder Cup ranking.

Westwood is determined to repay Woosnam's faith in him at the K Club in two weeks' time but his erratic form of late continued today as he struggled in the heat at the Sentosa golf club.

He did manage to card three birdies, including two consecutive ones on 14 and 15, but dropped shots on the sixth and 16th and then a double bogey seven on the par-five 18th cost him dear.

Westwood, second here last year, was not the only one struggling as Adam Scott, Ernie Els and Michael Campbell all fell some way short of the clubhouse lead set by Scott Strange and Juvic Pagunsan at four-under-par.

For South African ace Els, who hit an even-par 71, the greens proved troublesome and he admitted: "I hit a lot of quality shots on the back nine but could not buy a putt.

"It was very frustrating as I hit the ball very nice. I hit a lot of fairways and greens but never got anything out of it."

The world number seven added: "It's the first round and you don't win a golf tournament on the first day. I just need to get into position by hitting quality shots."

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