Westwood sees red as greens give him blues

"You can't bring the Ryder Cup on to greens like this," said the former European No1 after a one-under-par 72 in the opening round of the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles.

Clarke attacked the PGA Centenary course last year, saying that "there are even two better here at Gleneagles" let alone the rest of Scotland, but his words were mild in comparison to the savaging the Englishman delivered today.

Westwood's round included a four-putt double-bogey on the fifth hole, the last three of them from inside two feet, and he raved: "They [the greens] really do need digging up. I'm not that bad a putter - I can't remember the last time I three-putted from 18 inches."

Westwood, one of seven players to have already booked a place in Nick Faldo's side in Kentucky, also attacked the undulations of the seventh green. "I think my kids could come up with a better design in an afternoon," he said.

As for the six players trying to grab the last three automatic spots, and those trying to impress Faldo to earn wildcard selection, Westwood added: "They are the guys I feel sorry for.

"Unfortunately, this tournament could be won or lost on the greens. It's a big enough deal as it is, so you don't want to stand over a three-footer wondering if the ball is going to run straight."

Heavy recent rain has softened the putting surfaces but Westwood was not prepared to accept that as an excuse.

"I said last year the greens were awful and something needed to be done. Nothing has been. I was one of the early starters. What chance has anyone got when half the field have been over them?"

Westwood was playing with Oliver Wilson, who teed off this morning in the 10th and last automatic qualifying position going into the last counting event.

Wilson managed only a three-over 76, including three putts on the same green Westwood took four, but the good news for the 27-year-old Englishman was Martin Kaymer, his closest challenger, could do no better.

The German suffered a double-bogey six on the 320-yard 14th hole when his wayward drive into thick rough was not found until after the permitted five minutes of searching. However, Nick Dougherty, who could grab a Ryder Cup debut by finishing first or second on Sunday, battled away to a level-par 73.

Frenchman Gregory Havret, winner of the Scottish Open last year, somehow managed a five-under-par 68 and led by two shots from his compatriot Christian Cevaer, Scotland's Gary Orr and English veteran Paul Broadhurst.

However, Irishman Paul McGinley, a member of the last three Ryder Cup sides and runner-up to Clarke in Holland last weekend, looked to have disappeared off Faldo's selection radar with a round of 76.

Among the later starters were Clarke and Cup stalwart Colin Montgomerie, two more of the wildcard contenders, and Justin Rose, Soren Hansen and Ross Fisher, who occupied positions eight, nine and 13 in the Cup race.