Leaping Lee discovers a missing link

So imagine the excitement felt by Lee Westwood recently when handed a lesson that revolutionised the one area of his game that was always lacking.

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Not for want of trying was he relatively poor around the greens. "I went to all the best coaches," the 34-year-old Englishman said.

"David Leadbetter, Butch Harmon, you name them. But none could explain to me the technique that would make me a better chipper.

"Then Mark Roe gave me a lesson, and it is no exaggeration to say it was a eureka moment.

"Now my technique is so much better, and it is making all the difference in the world.

"Now I can spin the ball where I couldn't before. I have got so many more options, and the confidence has spread through the rest of my game.

"I can take on tight pin positions, because I am not afraid of what might happen if I don't pull the shot off.

"It has got to be worth five or six shots per tournament, and that's the difference between finishing 16th and being in contention to win every week."

A prime example of being able to play more aggressively came in the German Masters last week, when he opened with a spectacular 61 that was fully six shots better than anyone else.

A two-under-par second-round 70 at the Quinn Direct British Masters at The Belfry yesterday hardly seems in the same category.

But it has to be placed in the context of a breezy old day in the Midlands leading to conditions so tricky that the highly-rated English prospect Oliver Fisher was just one to fall, tumbling to a horrific 86.

Westwood even shrugged off a couple of bogeys to finish, knowing the true worth of a score that left him just one shot off the halfway pace.

He also drew the biggest laugh of the day. Roe, who retired last year to pursue a broadcasting career, persuaded Colin Montgomerie to use the belly putter recently, which led to him winning the European Open.

"Is he in the wrong job?" Westwood was asked. "Who, Monty?" he replied cheekily.

Funnily enough, Westwood may be joint third, but he is still the second-placed Worksop golfer, for the less-heralded Mark Foster deservedly owns a share of the lead with Dutchman Robert-Jan Derksen after a beautifully-played 66.

Foster, whose only tour win came in South Africa four years ago, said: "Westy and I had dinner together last night — whale and chips I think it was, given how big the fish was — and now we've made this a very good day for Worksop golf."

It was also a good day for spectator Tom Ibbertson, who found himself £100 better off after coming to the aid of Ryder Cup player Robert Karlsson.

The Swede might well be the first player in the history of the game to break not one club but two trying to play the same shot — at least not in anger, anyway.

After driving up against a tree, Karlsson played a six iron, the shaft wrapped itself around a tree, and the ball squirted off into the wild, never to be seen again. So then he had to return to the same spot.

"What do I play now?" he thought to himself. He chose an eight iron, and broke that shaft as well.

Enter Ibbertson, who not only rushed both clubs off to the Mizuno workshop on site, but returned them to Karlsson, complete with new shafts, just two holes later.

Karlsson was so grateful he gave Ibbertson £50, a sum matched by his caddie. As Karlsson played the last three holes in one under par to make the halfway cut, the value of Ibbertson's selfless act is clear.

Others who battled away manfully in the trying conditions were Montgomerie (70) and Nick Dougherty (68) and, at just three strokes off the pace, both are well placed going into the weekend.

Ian Poulter shot 71 to be level with Westwood, one behind the lead.

As the blustery wind gave way to torrential rain, Ulster teenager Rory McIlroy was involved in a real battle to make the halfway cut in his first pro event, eventually prevailing after a second-round 78.