Determined to end a two-year title drought, Lee Westwood opened with a 65 Thursday to take the early lead at the Malaysian Open golf tournament.

The Englishman had a bogey at the par-5 10th, his first hole, but birdied four of his closing five holes to finish the first round at seven-under-par.

The world No.36 is coming off a seventh-place finish at the Masters last weekend – his best finish so far this year.

Westwood, who won the Malaysian Open in 1997 and lost in a playoff the following year, was content with his first round.

“I played well. I didn’t make the best of starts bogeying … the first hole but, fortunately, that didn’t set the tone.

“I hit it really well and hit it close a lot. I had to be patient because I was hitting good putts and they weren’t going in (until) I holed one from about eight feet on my 16th.”

Nicolas Colsaerts of Belgium recovered from a neck injury that forced him out of the Houston Open earlier this month and carded a 66. Northern Ireland’s Michael Hoey was a stroke further back at five-under after signing for a 67 among the morning starters in the co-sanctioned European and Asian Tour event.