Westwood one behind leader Otto

Lee Westwood made the perfect start to the latest stage in his campaign to become Europe’s top golfer as he shot a fine six-under-par 65 to sit one off the lead after the first day of the Belgacom Open.

The Worksop man is £50,000 adrift of Darren Clarke, who currently heads the Order of Merit table, but after the Ulsterman’s disappointing two-over 74, he has a fine chance to close the gap on his great rival.

Westwood trails csurprise tournament leader Hennie Otto, whose flawless seven-under-par 64 included seven birdies, six of them on the back nine. The South African began with eight pars before finally picking up a shot at the 402-yard par-four, but from then on there was no stopping him.

The birdie on nine was the first of four consecutive birdies, before he picked up further shots at the 14th, 16th and 17th. That surge took him past morning front-runners Ireland’s Padraig Harrington and Marc Farry of France, and at the end of the day ensured a one-shot lead over a group of players including Westwood, Harrington, Farry, Olle Karlsson and Stephen Scahill.

Westwood also enjoyed an error-free round, picking up birdies at the seventh, eighth and ninth, before making four at two of the back nine’s par-fives and a two at the par-three 16th.

"That's the best I've played for a while and it's nice to get a fast start to get into contention straight away because I feel I'm in the tournament more this time," said Westwood.

In contrast Clarke suffered at the sixth, 10th and 14th, picking up his only shot at the par-five 15th, although perhaps understandably his mind may be elsewhere this week - his wife Heather expects their second child next week.

Rookie Otto is particularly pleased the sports psychologist he has been using has struck a chord just in time for him to try keep the card he earned from the Challenge Tour last year.

"I still need about 25,000 pounds to keep my card and at the moment I only have this tournament and two others in which to do so," he said.

"Now I can get an extra tournament if I can finish top 10 and I'll be very close to the card, but an even better finish could do it all in one go.

"I've been working with Jos for six weeks and he's got me focusing so well it is like magic."

European number five and Order of Merit winner for the past seven years, Colin Montgomerie, started well but faded to a 69, but the day was also notable for three holes in one for the first time in a single day since 1996.

Briton Paul Affleck and Frenchman Jeff Remesy produced their aces on the eighth and 11th respectively, with Spaniard Ivo Giner doing so on the third.

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