Lee Westwood described his opening round of the Barclays Scottish Open as "a miracle" - although mainly because he did not get wet.

Asked after an opening 67 in the £3million Barclays Scottish Open if he had taken his game to another level, Westwood said: "There is no other level."

"I made that mistake back in 2000 where I looked for another level and it cost me three years of a career really. Another level is a fallacy," he said.

Westwood's flawless round - which ended when a birdie putt from five feet on the last lipped out - left him three shots behind joint leaders Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand and Sweden's Alexander Noren, who led by one from former US Open champion Angel Cabrera.

Westwood's playing partner Colin Montgomerie birdied the last for a 69, two under, but had the embarrassment of bogeying the eighth hole.

The Scot revealed he had played the hole 18 times on the morning of his recent wedding here - once with each group of guests - and managed 14 pars and four birdies.

Jaidee has missed a large part of this season with a prolapsed disc in his back and will fly home for treatment next week - unless he qualifies for the Open by finishing in the top five here.

He set the early clubhouse target and was joined late on Thursday evening by Noren, who had started from the 10th and went out in 34 before covering the front nine in just 30 shots.

Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els both struggled to live up to their star billing, Mickelson carding a level par 71 and a frustrated Els dropping two shots in his last three holes to finish one over.

Two-time tournament winner Els said: "Right now I should not even play tomorrow (Friday), that's how I feel."