Edfors sets early pace in Bahrain

Golf:The leaderboard on the opening morning of the Volvo Golf Champions in Bahrain had a distinctly Swedish feel to it with Johan Edfors leading the way after an imperious eight under 64.

The 35 -year-old carded nine birdies and just one dropped shot at the 16th to set the pace. He was two shots ahead of compatriot and Ryder Cup player Peter Hanson, Spain's Pablo Larrazabal and England's Graeme Storm, while a third Swede, Alexander Noren, heads a chasing pack on five under.

Also on five under was Sergio Garcia and Paul Casey, the highest ranked player in the field at ninth in the world.

Peter Lawrie was best placed of the Irish quintet on four under after a round containing seven birdies and three dropped shots. Darren Clarke was next on three under, one better than Pádraig Harrington's 70

Michael Hoey covered the Colin Monrtgomerie designed layout in level par - the same mark as the Scottish designer - while Damien McGrane slumped to a three-over 75.

Edfors, who has played more than 100 European Tour events without adding to his three wins in 2006, blazed the front nine - his back nine after starting at the 10th – in 31 then suggested he is a better player than five years ago.

“I think I am a lot better player than five years ago, but the results have not really shown that,” he said. “It’s all up to where they put the flags here. I had a bunch of chances from around 15 feet and holed a few of them.”

Big-hitting Spaniard Alvaro Quiros also made nine birdies, but trips to the water on the 18th and seventh cost him double bogeys. Quiros was playing with Garcia and talented teenager Matteo Manassero, who all finished on five under.

Garcia, now down at 80th in the world, is making his first start of the season and his bogey-free score was his best on the European Tour for just over a year.

Manassero, still three months away from his 18th birthday, became the circuit’s youngest winner in Spain last October and his day was spoilt only by a missed 18-inch putt on the first.