Baker shows signs of times past

Madeira Islands Open:Peter Baker, desperate to reignite his career, began the Madeira Islands Open with a five-under-par 67 yesterday to trail Portugal's Ricardo Santos by one shot in the Madeira Islands Open.

Five successive birdies around the turn helped provide the surprise on top of the leaderboard as Santos's 66 relegated former Ryder Cup player Baker to second place.

The 39-year-old from Wolverhampton, one of Ian Woosnam's assistants in last September's victory over the Americans in the K Club, lost his European Tour card three years ago and relies mostly on invitations for the chance to play now.

This was Baker's first start of the season and he built on two opening birdies by picking up further strokes on the fifth, sixth, 12th and 15th before dropping a shot at the short 17th to share second place with US Tour winner Notah Begay.

David Higgins is one of 12 players who must complete their first round this morning due to frequent stoppages for low cloud.

Higgins is on one-over-par after 16 holes while Gary Murphy finished on two-over-par 74 and Peter Lawrie a shot back on 75.

Baker's Ryder Cup cap came at The Belfry in 1993 and he picked up three points out of four, two of them with Woosnam as his partner.

But he has not won a single event since and is without a top-10 finish for three years.

Santos, a 24-year-old who had a plus-five handicap as an amateur, was one over after four, but then birdied seven of the next 10 holes.

Sharing fourth place on 68 were Dutchman Robert-Jan Derksen, Germany's Martin Kaymer, Daniel Vancsik of Argentina and Dane Mads Vibe-Hastrup.

Defending champion Jean Van de Velde and Scotland's Paul Lawrie both fired opening rounds of 75.