Westwood woes deepen

Lee Westwood’s woes were there for all to see today as he ran up an eight and crashed to last place in the Algarve Portuguese Open at Vale do Lobo.

The former European number one and world number four, without a top 10 finish for 20 months and now 237th in the world, turned in a four over par 39 and bad though that was, things became infinitely worse on the 470-yard first.

After driving into sand Westwood decided to go for the green, but pulled it out of bounds. Short of the green in five he then left his chip way short and two-putted.

At eight over par the Ryder Cup star was 11 behind Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell, who followed a birdie on the 217-yard 16th, his seventh, with a superb eagle on the 526-yard next.

McDowell, who won the Scandinavian Masters in his rookie season last year, led by one from English amateur Richard Walker, who was invited to the £850,000 event after winning the Portuguese Open amateur title last month.

The only other players under par after three-and-a-half hours’ play were Spaniard Carlos Rodiles and another amateur, Surrey youngster Zane Scotland, at one under. Scotland, like Walker a member of this year’s Walker Cup squad, won the Portuguese amateur championship last season.

Meanwhile, Phillip Price’s hopes of a record-equalling third win in the tournament immediately nose-dived with an opening double bogey six.

But after 11 holes he was back to level par and joint fifth.

Price had been plugged under the lip of a bunker on the 323-yard 10th, his first, had to play out sideways and then took three more from the fringe for his six.

Price beat Darren Clarke in a play-off for the title in 1994 and two years ago fired a brilliant closing 64 to pip Padraig Harrington and Sven Struver.

They remain his only two victories on the European tour, however, and having slumped to 152nd in the world – he was 50th two years ago – he said yesterday: “I realise I need to up my game.”

Beating then world number two Phil Mickelson at The Belfry last September remains the obvious highlight of recent times, but he commented: “Now I’m hoping to use the positives and get on with the rest of my career.”