Jeev stuns World No 5 Westwood

Casares (Spain) :

Ace golfer Jeev Milkha Singh began with a bang, humbling world number five Lee Westwood to top Group D after the opening day of the Volvo World Match Play Championship here.

In his first Group D encounter, the Indian - who gave up his title defence in the Singapore Open to become the first golfer from the sub-continent to make it to this elite event - pulled off a huge surprise by scripting a stunning six-hole victory over Westwood.

Jeev was joined by Ross Fisher at the top after the Englishman had mastered Camilo Villegas by two holes. Golfers in each four-player group face each other in a round-robin format and the group toppers will make it to Saturday's semi-finals.

There was no sign of his ankle injury as Jeev birdied the first, fourth and fifth holes and was in fact five-up after seven holes as Westwood bogeyed the third, sixth and seventh, while failing to sink a single birdie.

On his way back, Jeev not only kept it bogey-free but also signed off with a birdie, while Westwood dropped his fourth bogey on the final hole to lose seven-up after a poor birdie-less campaign.