COLIN MONTGOMERIE and Ian Woosnam were just one stroke off the lead after the first round in the £235,000 Johnnie Walker Super golf Tour in Taipei yesterday.
The top two Europeans both had four-under-par rounds of 68, but three players - South Africa's Ernie Els, Lin Keng-chi of Taiwan and Park Nam-sin of Korea - went one better.
Montgomerie recovered from an indifferent start to shoot four birdies in the back nine.
Ernie Els birdied the last three holes to grab a share of the lead. "The overseas players will have to play well, these (Asian) boys mean business," he said. "I'm delighted with a 67. I had a really excellent local caddy, and she helped me get the score.
The eight-man event is being staged in four different Asian countries over six days. The second round is at the Seoul Country Club tomorrow, the third at the Orchard Golf and Country Club in Manila on Friday with the final round at Thana City Golf and Country Club in Bangkok on Sunday.
As Britain and Ireland open their challenge for the women's world amateur team championship in the Philippines today, captain Sally Barber is confident the three players - Elaine Ratcliffe, Janice Moodie and Mhairi McKay - have what it takes to win the Espirito Santo Trophy for the first time.
"I think we have an exceptionally strong side capable of competing with the best," said Barber, whose main concern has been monitoring the players' fluid intake with the high levels of heat and humidity.
The US will start as favourites to successfully defend the trophy they won for the 12th time in Paris two years ago.
