It has been an eventful first seven holes for Lee Westwood, but he’s been able to avoid significant damage and at 2-under, still leads the British Open.
The Open Championship 2013 leaderboard: Lee Westwood still leading, Phil Mickelson tied for 4th
Lee Westwood remains at the top of the leaderboard, but Phil Mickelson is among the players making a charge.
Westwood dropped a shot early with a bogey at No. 3 and appeared to be in more trouble at No. 5 when he hit his tee shot into a fairway bunker. He was forced to pitch out and had more than 200 yards remaining on his third shot. Playing a long iron into the greens at Muirfield hasn’t been a recipe for success this week, but Westwood drilled a 3-iron to about 10 feet. He made the birdie putt to get back to even on the day. His tee shot on the Par 3 seventh hole found a deep bunker and Westwood was unable to get the ball out on his first attempt.
Despite the failed attempt, Westwood was able to get his second attempt up-and-down to salvage bogey and remain in the lead.
He currently has a one-stroke lead over Henrik Stenson who is the only other player under par. Stenson birdied two of his first three holes then added another birdie on No. 9 to make the turn at 2-under on the round. He is one of a few players under par on the round, joined by Ian Poulter and Phil Mickelson near the lead.
Mickelson made the turn at 2-under but a bogey on No. 10 dropped him to 1-over for the tournament. Poulter has made the biggest charge of the day and is 4-under on the round. He had a chance to be even better, but got unlucky on No. 15 when his tee shot on the Par 4 just caught the green side bunker. Had it avoided the bunker on the roll out, it may have reached the green setting up an eagle or easy birdie try. Poulter instead made par, then bogeyed the difficult 16th.
Tiger Woods is still yet to make a birdie on the day and has dropped to 2-over for the tournament through eight holes. Here is a closer look at the top of the leaderboard.
| Place | Player | Score | Thru |
| 1 | Lee Westwood | -2 | 7 |
| 2 | Henrik Stenson | -1 | 9 |
| 3 | Adam Scott | E | 8 |
| T4 | Ian Poulter | 1 | 16 |
| T4 | Phil Mickelson | 1 | 10 |
| T4 | Zach Johnson | 1 | 9 |
| T7 | Angel Cabrera | 2 | 8 |
| T7 | Tiger Woods | 2 | 8 |
| T7 | Hunter Mahan | 2 | 7 |
| T10 | Hideki Matsuyama | 3 | 12 |
| T10 | Brandt Snedeker | 3 | 11 |
| T10 | Francesco Molinari | 3 | 10 |
| 13 | Sergio Garcia | 5 | 11 |
| T14 | Eduardo De La Riva | 6 | F |
| T14 | Harris English | 6 | F |
| T14 | Charl Schwartzel | 6 | F |
| T14 | Danny Willett | 6 | F |
| T14 | Matt Kuchar | 6 | F |
| T14 | Keegan Bradley | 6 | 17 |
| T14 | Rafael Cabrera-Bello | 6 | 13 |
| T14 | Miguel A. Jimenez | 6 | 13 |
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