Lee Westwood fired a superb 66 on the opening day of the DP World Tour Championship before expressing his disappointment at being denied a debut in the World Cup of Golf. Westwood rediscovered the form that carried him to the title at the Jumeirah Golf Estates in 2009 as he made seven birdies and dropped just one shot to claim the outright lead on six under. Lee Westwood fired one of his best rounds of the year to lead the DP World Tour Championship His round was a well-timed response to being axed from Englands two-man team for next weeks World Cup of Golf in Australia, an event he had been looking forward to having been chosen by Danny Willett back in August. But Willett withdrew from the event last week due to his ongoing back issues and, with Justin Rose currently taking an extended break from golf, Chris Wood was installed as Englands highest-ranked player. Westwood was set to partner Danny Willett in next weeks World Cup of Golf Under the rules of the competition, the highest-ranked player in each team gets to choose his own partner, and Wood opted to bring in his good friend Andy Sullivan instead of sticking with Westwood.I had never played the World Cup before so I was really looking forward to it, and Ive heard Kingston Heath is such a great golf course, Westwood told Sky Sports. After Willetts withdrawal, Chris Wood was Englands highest-ranked player and chose to partner Andy Sullivan Danny asked me to play back in August. We were paired together in the Ryder Cup, so we thought wed have a go at the World Cup as well.Obviously Im a little but disappointed, but everybody has to do certain things for certain reasons, and I understand. It goes down the world rankings, so it was up to me to be higher up the rankings to be able to pick my own partner. Live European Tour Golf November 18, 2016, 8:00am Live on Get Sky Sports Get a Sky Sports pass If Im high in the world rankings and the money list next year, he (Wood) probably shouldnt be expecting a pick if I play in the World Cup! But its Chris prerogative to pick whoever he wants. He gets on well with Sully, and Sully is a good player, and theyll have a chance.I can understand him picking a mate and hes picked a very good player. I think its probably more to do with the rules than anything, but I think the week before somebody is meant to go down there is a little late to say, no, youre not playing. Westwood bounced back from his disappointment with a 66 in Dubai Westwood, who is ranked seven places below Sullivan at 47, did lift his spirits with one of his best rounds of the season in Dubai which emulated his opening 66 over the Earth Course that set him up for a dominant six-shot victory seven years ago. Six months half price Upgrade to Sky Sports to watch Man Utd v Arsenal on Saturday and get the first six months half price That win is certainly in the top two or three performances in my career, he added. Its maybe even the best performance of my career, knowing that I needed to win to beat Rory in The Race to Dubai, and did that by six and pretty much dominated the field over the weekend and its right up there.Today was all good really. I played lovely, hit a lot of fairways, a lot of good iron shots, putted nicely and I didnt make too many mistakes out there. This is as good as Ive played for quite some time. Westwood laps up the applause as he approaches the 18th green Ive found a couple of keys in different parts of my game and Ive been working on them hard. A 66 is a good round of golf, and it didnt seem that easy out there. Some days you feel like theres a lot of birdies out there but today I think was a pretty stiff test.Its a golf course Ive played well on in the past and Ive had quite a few good results here other than the win, and played pretty well in the desert. Ive been looking forward to this week.Upgrade to Sky Sports now to watch Man Utd v Arsenal this Saturday and get the first six months half price! Also See: Westwood snub unfair Rose to team up with Stenson Golf live on Sky Sports 4 European Tour Schedule Takkarist McKinley Falcons Jersey . -- Michael Phelps is 0 for 1 in his comeback to the pool. Kaleb McGary Falcons Jersey . He looked very comfortable Wednesday night. Konerko had a big three-run double and Gordon Beckham homered for the second straight game, leading the Chicago White Sox to an 8-3 victory over the sliding Chicago Cubs. http://www.thefaclonsshoponline.com/Yout...Falcons-Jersey/. On Wednesday night, they showed that stellar defence and a little small ball can get the job done too. With pinch-runner Kevin Pillar aboard after Dioner Navarro opened the bottom of the ninth with a single, Anthony Gose dropped down an excellent bunt along the first-base line. Tony Gonzalez Jersey . -- Scottie Wilbekin sat on the bench for the final minute, holding a bag of ice against his left knee. Takkarist McKinley Womens Jersey . Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and Frank Thomas appeared to be on track to gain election from the Baseball Writers Association of America on Wednesday, and Craig Biggio could join them.WASHINGTON -- Alex Ovechkins goal was no surprise. But when defencemen Nate Schmidt and Karl Alzner scored, it was an unexpected bonus for Washington. Braden Holtby made 34 saves and Ovechkin scored the second of three goals by the Capitals in the first 17 minutes of a 5-2 victory over the Predators on Saturday night, extending Nashvilles losing streak to five games. Troy Brouwer and Eric Fehr also scored for the Capitals. Ovechkin got his 22nd goal this season and ninth on the power play, both NHL highs. Nicklas Backstrom and Mikhail Grabovski each had two assists. Schmidt, a 22-year-old rookie, got his first NHL goal. Alzner, a six-year veteran, got his first career goal in 148 home games. "Thats what Im here for. Im a game-closer. The finisher, they could call me," joked Alzner, who has six career goals and said he had been aware of his failure to score at home since his rookie season. In the dressing room, Schmidt had a wide smile as he posed for pictures with the puck. "Ive been used to previously having more points," he said. "Being a first-year defenceman, its going to come." Roman Josi scored the Predators first goal at the end of the first period and fed Eric Nystrom for their other one with 16:08 left. Nashville defenceman Shea Weber, playing for the first time since getting hit in the face by a puck on Nov. 28, also had an assist. "We couldnt find a way to score. Obviously, we didnt have many power plays tonight (one) to try and build momentum," Weber said. "Same story, weve just got to find a way to put it in." Washington took the lead after Nashville goalie Marek Mazanec (28 saves) failed to control a slap shot from the wing by Fehr. Battling a Predators defender, Brouwer got enough of his stick on the puck to trickle a backhand pastt Mazanec for his sixth goal.dddddddddddd. Less than 7 minutes later, Ovechkin scored 3 seconds into a power play, firing a slap shot off a faceoff feed from Backstrom. Alzner made it 3-0 with his first regular-season goal since Feb. 12. In addition to winning a draw that led to the goal, Backstrom played a role on the shot. He obstructed the view of Mazanec, slow to react on a drive from the defenceman that came from just inside the blue line. Alzner has often been criticized for a lack of aggressiveness with the puck. "When its his turn, we need a goal from him, or a good play, and we got one tonight," Washington coach Adam Oates said. "Every little touch he makes benefits us big picture." The teams traded goals early in the third period. After Schmidt scored the first of his career, Nystrom retaliated 23 seconds later in transition. With 5:10 left, Fehr got the clincher, scoring for the fourth time this season. He has six points in six games. "I think we were getting a little bit too fancy, looking for that perfect tap-in, backdoor play," Fehr said. "We talked before the game (and said), just get pucks to the net and crash and get some rebounds and try to get a greasy one. It worked out." NOTES: Ex-Capital Matt Hendricks faced Washington for the first time since he was signed by Nashville as a free agent. ... The losing streak is the longest for Nashville since it dropped eight straight in April. ... Nashvilles frustration showed as Rich Clune picked a fight with Washington rookie Tom Wilson, but got the worst of it after his helmet came off in the tussle. ... With the 136th power-play goal of his career, Ovechkin moved within one of Peter Bondras franchise record. ... The goal for Alzner was his first in 148 regular-season games at home. ' ' '