Golf: Westwood's Japanese success

Golf

Westwood's Japanese success

England's Lee Westwood shot a seven under par 65 with a brilliant bogey- free round to take a three-stroke lead in the defence of his Taiheiyo Masters title in Gotemba, Japan yesterday. Starting the day one stroke off the pace, Westwood soon caught up with the overnight leader, Naomichi Ozaki, with a birdie on the second hole while the home player bogeyed the first. Westwood edged ahead with another birdie on the third hole before ending the round with his seventh birdie of the day on the 18th for a three-round total of 15 under par 201. "I hit a lot of fairways today and I'm hitting my iron shots close to the hole," Westwood said. "If you don't make any bogeys you're going to shoot good scores under par." Ozaki also sank a birdie on the final hole for a 69 to end the day in second place on 204, one stroke above his elder brother Masashi Ozaki, Chen Tze-chung of Taiwan, the American Mark O'Meara and Darren Clarke of Ireland.