Early bird Westwood catches the worm

A rejuvenated Lee Westwood shrugged off an unusually early start to lead the European challenge for a victory in The Players Championship.

Westwood hit the opening tee shot at 0715 local time, but showed no ill effects to compile a flawless five under par 67 at Sawgrass.

That score was matched ten minutes later by Spain's Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño and then equalled by compatriot Sergio Garcia and US Open Champion Justin Rose to boost the chances of just a fourth European win in 41 attempts.

American Russell Henley held the clubhouse lead after a 65 which saw him recover from a double bogey on the seventh with six birdies in a back nine of 30.

"It's probably been about 21 years since I was the first ball in the air at a tournament," Westwood told reporters after his round, a reference to the fact that top players are usually drawn into certain groups which take television broadcast times into account.

The 41 year old Englishman, who won his 40th worldwide title in Malaysia last month, birdied the first, second and sixth to reach the turn in 33 and also picked up shots at the 12th and 16th before safely negotiating the iconic 17th.

The island-green par three is the hole which cost Garcia his chance of victory last year when he found himself tied for the lead with Tiger Woods with two holes remaining, the 2008 champion dumping two balls into the water to run up a quadruple-bogey seven.

Speaking about his round, the 34 year old Garcia said: "It was a nice day, no doubt. I started very well, obviously got to six under after 13 and just a shame I hit a good putt on five for par that unfortunately lipped out. I then had a couple chances that I didn't convert but I can't be disappointed with five under."

Rose was even more pleased with that score after carding six birdies and one bogey despite what he termed an "awful" practice session beforehand.

"One of those weird days in the game of golf," Rose said. "I had not much feel of anything that I was doing to be honest with you, and having played quite well recently, it was a bit of an out-of-the-blue moment. Sometimes it lowers your expectation."

With Woods unable to defend his title after undergoing back surgery just before the Masters Tournament, four players started the event with the chance to overtake the 14-time Major winner as World Number One.

Adam Scott, Henrik Stenson, Bubba Watson and Matt Kuchar were all among the later starters, but former Number One Rory McIlroy had already completed a 70, while fellow Northern Irishman Graeme McDowell recovered from two over after six holes to return a 69.

McIlroy was five under par after 11 holes but dropped shots at the third, sixth and eighth and said: "I played really solid for the first 11 holes but let a few shots get away from me at the end.

"Guys are going low so 70 is going to be pretty average by the end of the day but I feel like my game is in good enough shape that I can go out tomorrow and shoot something in the 60s."

Ernie Els fired a 68, while Scotland's Stephen Gallacher matched McIlroy's 70 on his tournament debut courtesy of a back nine of 33 which included birdies on the 16th and 18th.

Out on the course Germany’s Martin Kaymer had joined the large group on five under, with The Ryder Cup star left with five holes to play.

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