Westwood aiming for back to back wins

Lee Westwood was today aiming for back to back European Tour wins after a case of out with the new, back in with the old.

Westwood claimed his first European title this season at the Dutch Open last week, equalling his own course record with a brilliant closing 63 to pip Scotland's Gary Orr by one shot.

And the 26-year-old from Worksop has clearly learnt his lesson from the events at Hilversum where an experiment with new clubs almost proved costly.

"I changed to a new set of Pings before the Dutch Open but it's a different game once the tournament starts and I wasn't used to them," said Westwood who arrived at the K Club for the Smurfit European Open in second in the Ryder Cup points table after his win in Holland.

"I wasn't sure how far they were going to go so after the first round I got my old set flown out and used them and won. I'm sticking with them this week.

"I'm confident with my game at the moment so hopefully I can go out there and play well. It was a good time to win with big tournaments coming up and hopefully it will give me a bit of momentum.

"I've been playing well for a while now so it was good to get that win under my belt and hopefully I can go on from here and win a few more and challenge for the top of the Volvo Order of Merit."

Westwood, one of the later starters in today's first round, faces stiff competition for the first prize of £226,000 in the richest event of the year outside the majors.

Open champion Paul Lawrie and runner-up Jean Van de Velde are back in action after their exertions at Carnoustie as is Spanish star Sergio Garcia, looking to put his Open nightmare behind him with an Irish double following his win in the Irish Open at Druid's Glen earlier this month.

Colin Montgomerie is also in the top class field along with Nick Faldo and Ian Woosnam, while Sweden's Mathias Gronberg returns to defend then title he won by 10 shots last year.

The race for Ryder Cup places will also be keenly contested with less than 700 points (around £50,000) separating Andrew Coltart in 10th place and Robert Karlsson in 20th.

3,000 points are on offer to the winner giving the likes of Per-Ulrik Johansson, winner here in 1996 and 1997, and Costantino Rocca the perfect opportunity to give their chances of qualifying automatically a massive boost.