Westwood limping his way to reach world No 1 status

A concerned Lee Westwood suffered a recurrence of his calf injury yesterday, but is expected to continue his bid to replace Tiger Woods as world No 1 at St Andrews today.

Three days after enjoying another Ryder Cup victory, Westwood hurt himself a third of the way into his opening round of the Dunhill Links Championship at Kingsbarns.

The 37-year-old battled on to score a two-under-par 70, only four behind leaders Martin Laird, Thomas Bjorn, Ricardo Gonzalez and Maarten Lafeber, but immediately went off for treatment and to speak to his physical trainer Steve McGregor.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

At that point he expressed genuine fears that he might be advised to pull out of the event and take another extended break – the Ryder Cup was his first competitive golf since August 6 – but word came from his management company later that he had been told it was okay to carry on.

"I felt it coming off the seventh tee," said Westwood, who needs a top-two finish on Sunday to end Woods's reign. "It was a really steep downslope and it's really aching now like I'm doing too much too soon.

"Playing two weeks in a row was probably too much in hindsight, I should have gone back to rehab. I don't want to get back to where it was.

"It improved a lot, but it's still not right.

"I can't load my right side. I just want to get off it as quickly as possible. I've got my compression and ice machine with me and I'll see the guys in the Tour physio unit, then give Steve a ring.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"I was advised not to flog myself last week and although I didn't have to play five games it was four on a hilly, heavy course.

"Steve said it wouldn't be right for six months. I don't want to be stupid, that's the problem. I made a mistake going to the Bridgestone." He pulled out on the second day in Akron, where he also had an opportunity to dethrone Woods.

Because of how the world ranking system works over a rolling two-year cycle, Westwood would have been certain to dethrone Woods if he had withdrawn and then missed his defence of the Portugal Masters next week.

By playing on the task is harder, but he had commented on the eve of the tournament: "That's not the way I want to do it. I want to get to world No 1 by playing the way I have for the last two years and proving I'm the best."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Eight of Westwood's team-mates at Celtic Manor, plus captain Colin Montgomerie, were all at Kingsbarns with him.

German Martin Kaymer did best of them with a 68. Ross Fisher was one worse, Monday hero Graeme McDowell posted a 70, Rory McIlroy and Padraig Harrington 71s, Francesco Molinari and Montgomerie 72s, Edoardo Molinari 73 and Peter Hanson 74.

They all trailed Harrogate's John Parry after his 67 and Malton's Simon Dyson, with a 69.

At St Andrews, Sheffield's Danny Willett was one shot off the lead after a first-round 67, while Hull's Richard Finch had a 68 at Carnoustie.