• Open Championship, Day One

Lewis lives up to formidable golfing heritage

Alex Dimond
July 14, 2011
Tom Lewis had a start to remember at Royal St George's on Thursday © PA Photos
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Arise, Sir Tom Lewis.

Okay, so a knighthood might be a little premature (if not exactly out of keeping with the English tradition for hyperbole). Nevertheless, after an opening 65 on Thursday Lewis became the first amateur to hold or share the lead of the Open Championship since Sir Michael Bonallack in 1968, so he should have something of a career to look forward to.

If omens mean anything in golf, then Lewis has quite the future ahead of him. Not only is he named after a five-time Open champion (Tom Watson - his brother is named Jack after ... well, guess), but he also comes from the same English town (Welwyn Garden City) as a certain six-time major champion, Sir Nick Faldo.

Lewis even had the honour of playing with the man he was named after on Thursday, starting off in the shadow of the great American before bursting onto centre stage on the back nine - as successive birdies on the 14th, 15th, 16th and 17th enabled him to tie with Thomas Bjorn's field-leading round that was submitted much earlier in a long day on the Kent coast.

"He was a great man to be with today, he was a great help," Lewis said afterwards of Watson, after admitting he could remember little of his own round. "He didn't say too much because obviously he wanted to do his own thing. But when he did talk it was really nice of him to help me out and I'm thrilled to have played with him."

As Lewis embarked on his enthralling run of play, the galleries that stayed until the end of the day rose to salute a memorable performance. Used to playing the amateur circuit - although he was beaten in a playoff on a recent first appearance in a professional event on a satellite tour - the 20-year-old admitted such adulation was special.

"I didn't know if it was for me or the other Tom but it was excellent because you don't get that in amateur golf!" he joked.

In truth, Lewis' first round heroics were a product of two key ingredients - a better knowledge than most of the Royal St George's course, and the fortune of playing in the calmer of the Thursday weather conditions.

Just two years ago, in 2009, Lewis was the winner of the British Boys' around the Sandwich course, a factor that certainly played into his hands on Thursday. With the wind down and the rain seemingly finished for the day, Lewis was able to recall the correct lines to take on each hole (many of which are not obvious to the inexperienced player) and execute the swings he needed effectively - taking further advantage of a course that had been softened slightly by staff in response to early morning conditions that saw the wind blowing as hard as 40mph.

There's a reason Thomas Bjorn, who perhaps should have won here in 2003, was the man joined with Lewis at the top of the leaderboard.

There's also a reason someone like Mark Calcavecchia, a veteran of Open Championships at Royal St George's, could play just five holes in practice (a number nearly equalled by the number of beers he sank the night before the tournament began) and could still shoot a 69 in some of the worst of the conditions.

Course knowledge is key. St George's is a layout where planning can overcome a comparative lack of talent or form. Lewis has certainly profited from that.

That's not to say the youngster lacks in either of those qualities, however. The medallist at the local qualifying event he played in to get to this stage, he shot rounds of 65 and 63 to blow away a field with some experienced names in it.

A familiar name on the amateur circuit, his father - himself a former professional - used to employ Ian Poulter's brother, Daniel, and as such he knows the Englishman fairly well. And Poulter certainly knows him.

"He's got a big future ahead of him," Poulter, who played a practice round with Lewis during the week, said on Thursday. "He's good enough to turn pro now."

Lewis, however, intends to wait until after this year's Walker Cup - amateur golf's version of the Ryder Cup, previously a proving ground for the likes of Luke Donald and Graeme McDowell - before he enters the paid rank.

That is, with one notable exception.

"I'm going to turn pro the day after the Walker Cup in September," Lewis told The Independent earlier in the week. "Unless I win here."

He wasn't joking - but that's the confidence of youth for you. But, for now at least, it hasn't been proven to be misplaced at all.

****

Westwood lying to everyone and himself

Another player with an amateur win to his name at Royal St George's is Lee Westwood - but the more experienced Englishman failed to take advantage when the weather turned in his favour.

While Graeme McDowell dug deep after hitting three-over early in his round to come back and shoot a fine round of 68 with the best of the afternoon weather, Westwood appeared to let some early dropped shots affect him mentally, berating one photographer after a wild strike before his round had really even started - as he could only muster an average 71.

He certainly hasn't played himself out of contention, but the suspicion remains that he could have shaved a few strokes further off his eventual total.

On Tuesday, the major-less Westwood insisted such an omission on his CV did not weigh heavily on his mind. "I try not to have too many expectations [ahead of major championships]," Westwood said. "I just go out there and try my best, really."

But his first round performances are starting to suggest otherwise. He stuttered from the starting gun in Sandwich, just as he did at Congressional a few weeks ago. On that occasion he ultimately finished in a tie for third, but an opening 75 (five shots worse than anything he managed the rest of the week) effectively scuppered any chance he ever had of providing a meaningful challenge to Rory McIlroy.

Westwood says the lack of a major is not causing him any anxiety. But the uncomfortable way he has begun recent major campaigns suggest he is lying to himself, if not everybody else.

He knows - as most golf fans do - that he is good enough to win one of these. But he's got to be careful not to push himself too hard, too soon.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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