Romero, Skold set pace in Tenerife

European TourMark Roe and Santiago Luna reached 500 European Tour events yesterday, but it was Argentina's Andres Romero and Sweden's Johan Skold who set the first day pace at the Abama Canaries Open in Tenerife.

Both returned five under par 66s, while Roe and Luna - paired together and each presented with a cake at the end of their rounds - shot 69 and 70 respectively.

Ireland's Michael Hoey made a steady start with an opening one-under-par 70 while Stephen Browne is on three-over-par 74 and David Higgins well down the field on 77.

It is an important week and a landmark one for the two 42-year-olds, who made their tour debuts as amateurs over 20 years ago.

Roe stands 117th on the Order of Merit and Luna 129th, with only the top 115 keeping their cards after the Majorca Classic in two weeks' time.

Skold is 126th and the shaven-headed 30-year-old, who has already paid eight visits to the tour qualifying school, needs a top-two finish on Sunday to be safe. "You just have to try to keep it out of your mind," said Skold.

Romero has yet to play full-time on the main circuit, but is all set to graduate from the "second division" Challenge Tour. After a win, a second and a seventh place finish in his last four starts there he is 10th on the money list, with 20 stepping up.

Two strokes back in joint third place are Scots Marc Warren and David Patrick, English left-hander Stuart Little and South African Titch Moore.

No fewer than five players failed to keep a double-figure score off their cards.

Former English amateur champions Mark Sanders and James Heath kicked off their rounds by taking 11 and 10 respectively at the long 10th.

Italian Marco Bernardini had a 10 there as well, while England's Sam Walker took 10 on the par four sixth and Paraguayan Marco Ruiz did the same at the 453-yard ninth.

Players' chairman Jamie Spence, who lost his card a year ago but has already earned enough to book himself a return to the circuit next season, was four under with one to play, but took a double bogey six for an opening 69.