Westwood seeks help from Harmon

Lee Westwood sought the advice of Tiger Woods' coach Butch Harmon as he, Colin Montgomerie and Ian Woosnam tried to bury the memory of 'Black Sunday.'

Closing rounds of 79 in the Bay Hill Invitational in Orlando at the weekend gave the three British stars food for thought on the eve of golf's unofficial "fifth major", the £3million Players' Championship starting at Sawgrass near Jacksonville on Thursday.

So in the absence of his regular coach Pete Cowen, Westwood asked the opinion of his manager Andrew Chandler, a former European tour player himself, and they agreed to ask Harmon if he would take a look.

"It's for a second opinion on the things Lee has been working on," said Chandler as the 25-year-old from Worksop worked with Harmon on the practice range at breakfast time on Tuesday morning.

Harmon has taken both Greg Norman and Woods to the world number one spot, the position Westwood has set as one of his goals for this season.

After seven victories worldwide last year, the world number six is still seeking his first of 1999. He was second in the Dubai Desert Classic last month, but then like Montgomerie, Woosnam, Darren Clarke and Nick Faldo was knocked out in the first round of the world match play championship in California.

His swing seemed back on track as he opened 71-68 last week to be only four shots off the lead, but then a 73 dropped him out of contention and the 79 meant he finished only joint 60th.

TRW