Westwood's selection angered wildcard rival Thomas Bjorn

R1 LEADERBOARD:
GB & Ire unless stated
-4 S Strange (Aus), J Pagunsan (Phi)
-3 J Randhawa (Ind)
-2 C Joseph (SA), N O'Hern (Aus), A Cabrera (Arg), S Barr (Aus), S Katayama (Jpn)
Selected others:
-1 A Scott (Aus)
Level E Els (SA)
+2 L Westwood
+5 P McGinley

European Ryder Cup team-mates Lee Westwood and Paul McGinley had disappointing starts to their Singapore Open campaigns on Thursday.

The 33-year-old Westwood, who was controversially given a wildcard ahead of Thomas Bjorn, carded a two-over 73.

The Englishman, runner-up to Adam Scott last year, had three birdies, three bogeys and a double-bogey.

And McGinley, who has had only one top-10 since January, is in danger of missing the cut after a five-over 76.

The Dubliner made the turn at level par but five consecutive bogeys from the 3rd to the 7th left him with plenty of work to do at the Sentosa Golf Club course.

I'll try to play a bit better in the second round Lee Westwood

Westwood beat Bjorn in the race for a wildcard pick despite being out-performed by the Dane this year.

Bjorn reacted furiously to being left out and has been fined by the European Tour, despite apologising later for his outburst.

Westwood is searching for his first tournament win since 2003 but has not given up hope of success in Singapore.

"I'm still in there. If you play well, you're capable of shooting 76 or 66 here," he said.

"I'll try to play a bit better in the second round. I'm swinging well enough and I just need to hole a few putts and cope with the heat."

Australian Scott Strange and Juvic Pagunsan from the Philippines overcame searing heat to lead the tournament on four under after the opening round.

Defending champion Scott birdied two of the last three holes to end up on one under while South African star Ernie Els is a shot further back.

This tournament comes just two weeks before the start of the Ryder Cup at the K Club, near Dublin, on 22 September.