Former European number one Lee Westwood took the early lead at the European Players Championship with a record nine-under-par 63 in Hamburg today.

Westwood, who has won on the Gut Kaden course twice before, outdid world number five Retief Goosen and Swede Robert Karlsson. They had both broken the course record with 64s.

Frenchman Gregory Havret, out in the first group of the morning, equalled the old record of 65 and there was a glut of low-scoring in high temperatures.

Westwood, who beat world number one Tiger Woods to win the event in 2000 and who shot a 61 when he took the title for the first time in 1998 over a since-changed course, rose to the top of the leaderboard with a nine-birdie round.

The score continued the Englishman's resurgence from a poor spell in which he missed eight successive cuts either side of the Atlantic. He is now hoping to secure a 17th European Tour title as well as earn a Ryder Cup place.

Westwood is well behind in both of Europe's tables but victory could elevate him into the reckoning for the team Ian Woosnam will captain at the K Club, where Westwood has also won twice before.

"My main objective is to play well and play my way into the side over the next four tournaments," he said.

"If I do that it would be great and if I don't, hopefully I'll play well enough and Woosie will look at me and think, 'He's starting to play some good golf.'

"And hopefully he looks at my record and thinks, 'He won around that course [K Club] a couple of times and could do it on the team.'

"I'm pushing for a pick but I'm trying to play my way in, rather than rely on somebody picking me."

South Africa's Goosen was encouraged by one of his best putting performances for several months.

He made an eagle and four birdies as he went out in six-under-par on his way to his eight-under 64.

Goosen has had a lull in results since he finished tied third in the US Masters in April and his putting let him down in the British Open last week when he faded to tie for 14th.

"I think my putting has been probably the worst it's been for years, and that's at least one of the reasons for my recent poor spell," Goosen said.

"Normally when I've hit the ball badly I've made up for it with my putting but this year I didn't hit the ball great and didn't make up for it with my putting, as well.

"The last three or four months I've really been struggling with my putting but I've been working hard on it. Today I made a few nice putts, a few better strokes, so hopefully I can start turning this year around."

Padraig Harrington, who missed the cut at Hoylake, is just five off the lead after a 68.  Paul Lawrie and
David Higgins carded 69s to sit one shot futher back. Grame McDowell and Damien McGrane are on the same mark through 12 and 13 holes respectively.

Paul McGinley and Gary Murphy are one under early in their rounds, Michael Hoey is level through 11 but Dubliner Stephen Browne has ground to make up after a three over par 75.  Reuters