Westwood shrugs off disappointment

Westwood has led the two biggest tournaments of the year after both 36 and 54 holes, but has been unable to convert either into his first victory in America for 12 years.

At the Masters, he shot 71 and finished in second place, three behind Phil Mickelson, and at the Players' Championship on Sunday he shot 74 and ended up in joint fourth spot four behind winner Tim Clark.

Sawgrass did not mean as much to Westwood as Augusta but the fact that when the heat was on he found only six of the 14 fairways and eight of the 18 greens he was aiming for, should trouble Europe's No 1. "I'm disappointed, but it's not something I'm going to pull my hair out over," said Westwood.

Westwood needed to birdie the last two holes to force a play-off but went in the water with a wedge to double-bogey the short 17th.

Clark achieved his first victory on American soil after 12 years of trying after he came up with a best-of-the-day 67.

A youthful Yorkshire drew 9-9 with a Lancashire team including five England players in the opening Northern England County Championship match at Huddersfield.

Matthew Fitzpatrick, 15, won two points on his debut, and Paul Lockwood, 17, and David Appleyard achieved notable results for the White Rose.