Golf: Briton's day of ifs and putts

LEE WESTWOOD'S opening 69 in the Freeport McDermott Classic told two stories. One that the 24-year-old has progressed far enough to be disappointed by a three-under score on a course, English Turn, which he has never played before. The other was that you do not get on the leaderboard without putting well.

Westwood found himself five behind Glen Day, the runner-up at the Players' Championship last week, whose scored an eight-under 64. "You have to hole putts to shoot eight under and I didn't today," Westwood, who was himself fifth at Sawgrass, said.

An afternoon on the putting green was his next priority. "I gave myself lots of chances but didn't hole anything," he said. "I am going to work on my method, it's only a little thing but there must be something wrong."

Three of Westwood's birdies came at par fives, the other from a pitch to two feet at the fourth hole. He dropped only one shot, although he had to hole from 25 feet at the 14th to save par, and showed again there is nothing wrong with his long game.

One behind West wood was Ian Woosnam. The Welshman, a winner here seven years ago, shrugged off a minor back spasm he suffered while practising before his round, to birdie three of his first four holes.

Day, whose only victory came in Malaysia eight years ago and who lost out to Paul Azinger in a five-man play-off for the BMW International in 1992, earned his biggest-ever pay-out of $352,000 (pounds 212,000) when he was runner-up with Tom Lehman at Sawgrass. That was a sum which exceeded his season earnings in all but one of his four years on the US circuit. But there is one thing money cannot buy, a place in the US Masters - the first major of the year - in Augusta next week.

All the winners on the US Tour from the last Masters earn an invitation so New Orleans, which has saloons of all types and especially ones featuring jazz, also represents one of the last chance variety. With many of those who have already qualified for Augusta taking the week off, the probability of the winner on Sunday having an extra broad smile are quite high.

Day certainly showed he was determined to extend his time in the sun not just to a fortnight but to three weeks with birdies at eight of the first 12 holes, starting by holing out from a bunker at the first. "Last week was a ball, but it's over and done with. My job at this tournament is to do the best I can. If I can take care of business here, good things will come," Day said.