Westwood had seven birdies on day one at the Vines Resort & Country Club

Britain's Lee Westwood shot an opening 66 to lie two shots off the lead after the first round of the Johnnie Walker Classic at The Vines Resort in Perth.

Westwood birdied three of his last four holes to finish on six under, while playing partner Greg Norman struggled with his putter and ran up a 75.

Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie is tied seventh after six birdies in a 67, with Ian Poulter one further back.

Robert-Jan Derksen, without a European Tour win since 2005, leads by a shot.

Derksen managed only one birdie on his first seven holes but the Dutchman reeled off four consecutive birdies from the eighth to 11th to move to five under.

He missed a three-foot birdie putt on the 14th but atoned by holing a 25-footer at the next to begin a run of three birdies in the final four holes, as he carded his lowest round on the European Tour.

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It is Westwood's first trip to Australia since 2003 and after a slow start he recovered well, despite a lack of his usual preparation.

"It's quite good to come to some of these tournaments with no expectations and just play with freedom and take it one shot at a time," said the 35-year-old, who took a month off over Christmas.

"I'm not suggesting I wasn't trying, I'm just saying that I haven't played a lot recently and sometimes it's nice to go out and play like that.

"I have only played a little bit of golf this year. I did a lot of gym work before the two tournaments in Qatar and Dubai - not a lot on my swing - and my short game and putting are quite rusty.

"I'm at the age now where I have other priorities around Christmas time. I want to be with my kids and my wife at home so it was no surprise that I came out rusty in these two tournaments."

Former world number one Norman, now 54, double-bogeyed the par-five third, but said: "I actually felt pretty good. I putted terribly but that's about it. I better shoot 66 now. That's all I can say."

Westwood was delighted to have the chance to play alongside the Australian, one of his boyhood idols, and said: Greg has always been one of the fittest people out there and he's still in great shape.

"I still enjoy watching him play and some of the short-game shots he plays, the chips around the green, he's just in a different class."

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