WORKSOP'S Lee Westwood remains in contention at the 137th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale after a brilliantly consistent back nine left him just four shots off the clubhouse leader, as the Guardian went to press.
Westwood defied the blustery conditions to par the final eight holes after a birdie at the 10th, although he began the first round by dropping four shots in the first three holes.
The weather had an adverse affect on many of the tournament's favou
rites, but Lee's consistency saw him finish the round four shots behind clubhouse leader Retief Goosen.
The South African shot a one over par round of 71 and his was the best clubhouse score as the Guardian went to press.
Lee began his day in atrocious conditions just before 9am, bogeying the first, dropping two shots at the second and bogeying the third.
Pars at the fourth and fifth holes preceeded a wonderful recovery at the sixth when he chipped in from 30 yards to drop just one shot.
His tee shot at the par three seventh left him with a good chance for a birdie but the Worksop golfer failed to capitalise and could only par the hole, before displaying his disgust at the miss.
Two further pars and a bogey saw Westwood finish the front nine six over par, but he picked the 10th hole to rattle home a putt for his first birdie of the day.
A superb approach shot helped Westwood to a par at the 11th before repeating the feat on the 12th, 13th, 14th and 15th.
Despite finding himself in a greenside bunker on the 16th, Lee chipped out to give himself a chance of par and duly sunk a pressure putt to remain at five over.
An eagle putt on the par five 17th rested just four feet away from the hole, but Westwood missed the birdie chance.
The difficult par four 18th presented no problems for the Worksop man and he closed out his round with a solid par, after missing a birdie putt.
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