Young British amateur Lewis steals Sandwich show

The 20-year-old Lewis, making the most of benign conditions late in the day, celebrated his Open debut by shooting a five-under 65 that included a dazzling run of four successive birdies from the 14^th.

The 40-year-old Bjorn, a late call-up from the reserve list who started his round early and had to tussle with difficult 20-mph winds, helped banish the demons of his late collapse the last time the event was held at Royal St George’s eight years ago.

Bjorn and Lewis were one shot ahead of Americans Lucas Glover and Webb Simpson, and Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain.

Tournament favourite Rory McIlroy could not recapture the form that carried him to a stunning eight-shot win at last month’s U.S. Open as he opened with a 71, the same score as world number one Luke Donald and second-ranked Lee Westwood.

It was Lewis, the 5-foot-10 amateur with the long, flowing blond locks who captured the imagination of Thursday’s galleries as he strode the fairways beside five-times Open champion Tom Watson and former world number four Henrik Stenson of Sweden.

“There were a lot of cheers of ‘Tom’,” Lewis told reporters after becoming the first amateur to lead the Open since Briton Michael Bonallack at Carnoustie in 1968.

“At first I think they were for Tom Watson and then towards the end I was playing well so I think they were cheering for me,” added Lewis.

“I know Henrik, he’s a nice guy. I knew on the first tee, no matter what I shot, it was going to be a great experience to play with Tom and I was not wanting to embarrass myself in front of him.”

Lewis and Faldo learned the game at the same golf club in Welwyn Garden City and the amateur said it was his ambition to eclipse the English great’s haul of six major victories.

“I would love to win seven. It would be great to go down as the best player from the club but I’ve got a long way to go,” said Lewis who showed his coolness under pressure by single- putting the first eight holes at Sandwich.

NO AMATEURS NOW

The youngster may be an amateur but he described himself as a full-time golfer, an assessment endorsed by Westwood and Watson.

“The state of amateur golf now, the really good ones are not amateurs in the sense of when I was an amateur,” said the 38-year-old Westwood.

“They’ve played professional tournaments and they’ve travelled the world and experienced difficult golf courses — they are semi-professionals.”

Watson, 61, added: “When you’re 20 you’re a pretty seasoned player. One of the things they do is play in a lot more competition than I ever did or ever wanted to.

“It boils down to the quote I say all the time about Arnold Palmer. When my dad asked him about what would make me a better player, he said, ‘Play in as much competition as you can’.”

Bjorn has certainly been around the block a few times and is best remembered for being three strokes ahead with four holes to play in the 2003 Open before a calamitous bogey, double-bogey, bogey run handed the Claret Jug trophy to American Ben Curtis.

The Dane’s chief blunder came at the 16^th where he needed three attempts to get out of a greenside bunker.

It was a different story this time for the Qatar Masters champion as he peppered the flags on the inward half. He had a brief panic at his nemesis hole when his tee shot flirted with the bunker but it cleared the sand and he curled in the birdie putt.

Although a poor chip on the last led to his second bogey of the day, Bjorn, sixth reserve a week ago, was delighted with his day’s work.

Still searching for his first major victory, the Dane said: “A lot of people have asked me what I feel about 2003 (but) it’s in the past.

“I also got close by finishing tied second in the 2005 U.S. PGA Championship at Baltusrol. I’ve always promised myself I’ll keep going,” added Bjorn who has struggled with his game this year following the death of his father.

“People can do whatever they want, write you off even... but when you live in a career that’s there ahead of you, you try and make the best of every single day. I’m 40 years old and there might just be a little bit more in me.”

One of the biggest roars of the day was reserved for American Dustin Johnson (70) who had a hole-in-one at the 16^th during a purple patch in which he went five under in four holes on the inward nine.