Westwood makes solid start

New world number one Lee Westwood made a good start to his HSBC Champions challenge with the English golfer two shots behind early leader Yuta Ikeda midway through his opening round at Sheshan International GC.

Westwood deposed Tiger Woods on Monday and demonstrated his new status will not hang heavy on the 37-year-old's shoulders as birdies at the 13th, 15th and 16th saw him quickly moving in the right direction in Shanghai.

He almost moved to four-under-par at the par-five 18th but an eight-footer lipped out to leave him two behind Ikeda on three-under-par at the turn.

Ikeda, meanwhile, recovered from a poor start to climb to five under and edge ahead of Retief Goosen and Henrik Stenson.

The Japanese golfer bogeyed his opening two holes - the 10th and 11th - but bounced back with a birdie and then an eagle two at the par-four 13th, before picking up another shot at the 16th to reach the turn in 34.

Three consecutive birdies from the first then saw Ikeda assume the lead.

Stenson and Goosen are four under through eight and 12 holes respectively, while Padraig Harrington joined Westwood in the group of five players on three-under.

The Irishman saw an early birdie at the 12th cancelled out with a dropped shot at the next but the Irishman recovered well with further birdies at the 16th, 17th and second to remain in touch through 13 holes.

Louis Oosthuizen was also three under after 13 holes, the Open champion collecting three birdies in his opening nine holes, while Rory McIlroy and Richie Ramsay were two under par having started their back nines.

Defending champion Phil Mickelson made a steady start to his first round to lie one under at the turn, while Woods was even-par over his opening nine holes, a bogey at the 10th negated by a birdie at the 18th.