Jeev stuns Westwood after winning debut at World Match play

Jeev stuns Westwood after winning debut at World Match playCasares (Spain), Oct 30 - Playing through pain, India's Jeev Milkha Singh made a sensational debut Thursday at the Volvo World Match Play Championships by stunning European Money leader Lee Westwood, the world number five by a whopping six holes at the Finca Cortesin course, west of M? laga.

The Indian star, who is battling an ankle injury and also gave up his defence of the Singapore Open being played halfway across the world, still has two more matches, against Camilo Villegaes and Ross Fisher left in his group.

Jeev, who also missed the Frys. com Open in Phoenix last week because of the injured ankle not just defeated but severely dented Westwood's chances of improving on his number five world ranking and also advancing to the semi-finals of the competition here.

The margin was the biggest of the day and it could lead to an early exit for Westwood. Westwood, however, could still keep his top position on the European Money List as two of his closest rivals, second placed Martin Kaymer and fourth-placed Paul Casey, cannot make the weekend's semi-finals.

In regular match play, Jeev would have been through at 5 & 4 but because of the new format he had to play the remaining four holes and in those he added to Westwood's misery.

"I'm really happy and a victory over Lee (Westwood) is a great result, the margin especially pleasing," said Jeev. "In match play I think anything can happen. It depends on whoever holes more putts, and we'll see what happens. I'm excited about that."

"I thought I was facing a lengthy layoff when the ankle flared up but I got a lot of ultrasounds and iced it up five times a day to be able to play this week," said Jeev, who at 55 is ranked 50 places below Westwood. "I played with a cart yesterday and that helped. The big test is going to be tomorrow when I have to play 36 holes," added the golfer.

Jeev opened the day with a birdie and won the first hole. After halving the next hole, Jeev went two up when Westwood bogeyed the third and Jeev was steady with a par. Two more birdies to Westwood's pars, meant Jeev was four-up after just five holes. Both players halved the sixth with bogeys and then Westwood dropped his third bogey of the day to fall back five holes after seven. From there on Westwood was fighting to stay in the match.

The duo halved the next 10 holes, but it was clear Westwood's heart was not there. He bogeyed the 18th, while Jeev birdied it to make it 6-up. In stroke play, Jeev's work for the day would have fetched him a score of 69, while Westwood would have been 76.

Westwood could win his remaining two matches and still go out. "It's been a while since I've played as badly as that," said a disappointed Westwood.

Jeev was one of the players who played just one round on Friday and he now hopes his ankle stands up to two matches on Saturday against Colombian Camilo Villegas and Briton Ross Fisher.

By the end of the first day, Westwood faced the prospect of an early exit after his big loss to Jeev, while Sergio Garcia, the home favourite, had lost one to Oliver Wilson and tied one match with Robert Allenby to go out of running for a semis place. Also going out were Englishman Paul Casey who lost both matches as did German Martin Kaymer.

Casey coming back after a 12-week lay-off on account of a torn rib muscle was beaten twice within the day, first by Australian Scott Strange and then by Anthony Kim. Kaymer lost to Robert Allenby and Oliver Wilson by one hole each.

The big winners of the opening day were England's Oliver Wilson and American Anthony Kim. Wilson almost withdrew on the eve of the championship with the recurrence of a neck injury.

In Group A, Kim in Group A, beat Casey by three holes and Retief Goosen by four. In Group B Wilson beat Garcia and Kaymer.

In Group C Masters champion Angel Cabrera's five-hole win over Rory Mcilroy, third on European money-list could mean the top four on the ?Race to Dubai' could miss out on the semi-finals.

In Jeev's group D in another match Ross Fisher beat Colombian Camilo Villegas by two holes. In Group C Simon Dyson beat Henrik Stenson of Sweden by three holes.

Within groups of four, every player will play each other in a round robin format over full 18-hole matches. Each match will complete 18 holes every time. Points will be awarded based upon win, tie or loss. The leading player from each group will qualify for the semi-final knock out stage. The aggregate number of holes won will be used to determine tied positions.

The semi-finals will played over 36 holes in head-to-head match play. (IANS)