Holder Lee Westwood shrugged off the disappointment of last week's Ryder Cup defeat to move within a shot of the lead with a four-under 68 in the British Masters first round on Thursday. The Briton, despite suffering fatigue at the end of his round, claimed a share of third place behind joint leaders Marcus Fraser of Australia and Swede Mikael Lundberg. Westwood picked up only one point in Europe's Ryder Cup defeat by the US in Kentucky. “Both weeks are completely different and this week is getting back to the day job,” the Englishman told reporters after carding six birdies and two bogeys at the Belfry. “I put last week in a box and filed it away, you can't carry mental scars or baggage from last week with you. I've always been able to get a sense of reality and perspective that way.” Westwood's fitness regime, which he began three years ago, also helped. “I started to feel jet-lag with four holes left but I might have gone with eight holes to go (in the past). There are no negatives to being fitter and stronger,” he said. Former Russian Open winner Fraser, looking to climb from 115th on the European money-list to guarantee his tour card for next season, grabbed five birdies in his opening nine holes on the way to his 67. Lundberg, who won the 2008 and 2005 Russian Opens, also launched a strong first-day challenge. Victory here would move Westwood within $140,000 of money-list leader Padraig Harrington, who is absent this week. Rafa Echenique of Argentina, Dane Anders Hansen and Britons Marc Warren and Sam Walker shared third place with Westwood. Graeme McDowell, the only other European Ryder Cup player competing at the Belfry, produced a roller-coaster 72. Colin Montgomerie slumped to an 81 while former Ryder Cup teammate Darren Clarke returned an 80. Lyle ready to captain Europe Sandy Lyle has insisted his walk-out from this year's British Open shouldn't stop him from being Europe's captain against the United States when the Ryder Cup next takes place in 2010. He has been backed for the job by fellow Scottish golfer Colin Montgomerie but some are skeptical about whether the 1985 British Open and 1988 US Masters champion is the right man for the role. Lyle was widely criticized for qutting 10 holes into his opening round of the Open at Royal Birkdale, north-west England, in July when his total already stood at 11-over par, a move some argued should bar him from the captaincy. The 50-year-old subsequently admitted he'd gone into “meltdown”. But, speaking to Sky Sports on Thursday, Lyle brushed off suggestions he was too soft to lead Europe in its quest to regain the team golf trophy it lost to the Americans last week in Kentucky. “You know you will get some knocks, but you don't win majors without being hard inside,” said Lyle, who thanked Montgomerie for his support. “It's an opportunity which only comes once in a lifetime to anybody, so the nice comments from Colin are inspiring. “It's about handling people and all the different types of egos which go around - and the personalities.”
