Lee Westwood enjoyed a welcome upturn in fortunes to lie just a shot off the clubhouse lead on the opening day of the British Masters at The Grove.

Westwood feels he let down good friend and Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke after failing to win any of his three matches as Europe suffered their heaviest defeat for 35 years at Hazeltine.

And the former world number one followed that disappointing performance by missing the cut in last week's Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, thanks largely to a second round of 82 at Kingsbarns.

However, Westwood was back to something approaching his best on Thursday, carding six birdies and two bogeys in a first round of 67 which left him a shot behind Scotland's Marc Warren and Finland's Mikko Ilonen.

"I'm really pleased, it's the best I've played in quite a while," said Westwood, who will succeed Luke Donald as tournament host next year, with Close House in Northumberland expected to be announced as the venue shortly.

"My driving has not been great but I drove it really well today and gave myself a lot of chances. I've been working on a couple of things on the swings, looking at old videos when I was getting in good positions.

"Probably the only poor shot I hit was on the seventh, when Billy (Foster, his caddie) told me left of the green wasn't good and I managed to hit it there anyway."

Warren's only dropped shot of the day came on the ninth, his final hole, after four birdies and an eagle on the par-five second when his five-wood approach from 235 yards finished just six inches short of the pin.

The 35-year-old started last week's Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in 125th on the Race to Dubai with only the top 110 keeping their cards for next season, but finished fifth at St Andrews on Sunday to move up 55 places.

"The last couple of months have been tough, trying first and foremost to keep my card, so I was delighted to do that and carry that good form into this week," Warren said.

"The wind was picking up as we were going round so I'm really pleased to get in with a 66. I was not really under too much stress at any time so it was a very enjoyable round of golf."

Dunhill Links winner Tyrrell Hatton also continued his good form with an opening 68, while defending champion Matt Fitzpatrick had to settle for a 70 after two bogeys in his last seven holes.

Masters champion Danny Willett was forced to withdraw from the event before starting his round, the 29-year-old suffering from the recurrence of a back injury.

Willett, who did not win a point on his Ryder Cup debut at Hazeltine, missed the cut in the individual tournament last week but won the team event with his caddie Jonathan Smart.