Italian Open: Denmark's Søren Kjeldsen produced a wonderful, course record-equalling 63 performance to establish a two-stroke lead over his closest challenger, Englishman Benn Barham, in the Telecom Italia Open yesterday.

The Ascot-based 30-year-old started on the 10th and opened with four consecutive birdies, and picked up further shots at the 17th, first, third, fifth and ninth to set a clubhouse target which was never seriously threatened at the Castillo de Tolcinasco Golf and Country Club.

Kjeldsen admitted he was disappointed not to have added to his maiden tour title, which came at the Diageo Championship at Gleneagles in 2003.

"I think I've been in contention once since, and that is disappointing," he said. "I've been playing well but just not finishing the job.

"I've just being getting a bit tense on Sundays, and to play as relaxed as I played today is the key. I talk a lot more on the course now, I never used to say a word."

Kjeldsen was two shots ahead of Barham, with English trio Philip Archer, James Hepworth and Andrew Butterfield, France's Gregory Havret (the winner in 2001), South African Michael Kirk and Italy's Alessandro Tadini all on six under.

Defending champion Steve Webster, who ended a 10-year wait for his maiden tour title at the Arnold Palmer-designed venue 12 months ago, made a steady start with a one-under 71.

Argentina's Angel Cabrera, at 25th the only player in the world's top-50 taking part, also carded a 71.

David Higgins leads the Irish challenge with a first-round two-under-par 70 that included six birdies, but dropped shots at the second and 11th and a double bogey at the 13th which left him seven off the pace.

A seven at the par-three eighth proved costly for Stephen Browne, as he reached the turn in 40, but a back nine of 34 left the Hermitage man still in touch.

Michael Hoey also took 40 to the turn but came home in level par after a bogey at the 16th was cancelled out with a birdie at the last.

Brian McElhinney still find's his new life in the paid ranks difficult after posting a six-over-par 78. Starting at the 10th, the reigning British Amateur champion double bogeyed the 18th to be out in 40, and another double at the eighth brought him home in 38.

Barham, with the help of sports psychologist John Pates, also managed to play it cool to emerge from a congested chasing pack and into second spot.

The 30-year-old Englishman graduated from the European Challenge Tour last season and is looking to continue his positive climb up the ranks.

"John works with some good players and I figured that I wasn't playing that great and I wanted to change something," Barham said. "I have worked with John before, when I had my card the last time towards the end of 2003, and I thought I would go and see him again.

"I played great on the Challenge Tour last season and this year I have forgotten about getting it round the course and making a score. John has reminded me of the fact that's what you need to do to win tournaments."

Italian Open: First round scores

(Irish in bold, British unless stated)

63 - S Kjeldsen (Den)

65 - B Barham

66 - P Archer, A Butterfield, G Havret (Fra), J Hepworth, G Bourdy (Fra), A Tadini (Ita), M Kirk (Rsa)

67 - D Drysdale, J Lomas, L Oosthuizen (Rsa), B Dredge, R Green (Aus), C Hanell (Swe), (x) M Delpodio (Ita), A McLardy (Rsa), R Gomez (Arg), M Carballo (Arg), S Jeppesen (Swe)

68 - F Molinari (Ita), T Karjalainen (Fin), A Marshall, A Bruschi (Ita), P Fowler (Aus), A Coltart, A Rocha (Bra), S Fernandez (Arg), B Rumford (Aus), O David (Fra)

69 - F Valera (Spa), P Baker, B Teilleria (Fra), J Backstrom (Swe), S Dodd, M Warren, L Westerberg (Swe), M Roe, D Bransdon (Aus), G Emerson, R Finch, J Sandelin (Swe), J Remesy (Fra), E Canonica (Ita), S Little, M Foster, J Bickerton, L Slattery, K Staunton, R Coles, J Spence, H Otto (Rsa), M Persson (Swe)

70 - M Olander (Swe), G Houston, T Whitehouse, David Higgins (Irl), C Cevaer (Fra), P Gustafsson (Swe), A Hansen (Den), R Jacquelin (Fra), S Webster, J Skold (Swe), N Colsaerts (Bel), A Wall, O Whiteley, C Nilsson (Swe), S Khan, B Sutterfield (USA), D Griffiths, S Scahill (Nzl), I Woosnam, E Romero (Arg), S Struver (Ger)

71 - M Fraser (Aus), R McEvoy, C Monasterio (Arg), F Aguilar (Chile), R Rock, S Webster, I Pyman, I Garbutt, M Ruiz (Par), E Lattanzi (Ita), M Crespi (Ita), A Cabrera (Arg), R Bland, D Lynn, D Dixon, (x) A Romano (Ita), D Lucas, D Vancsik (Arg), L James, M Eliasson (Swe), T Moore (Rsa), (x) L Gagli (Ita)

72 - W Schauman (Swe), P O'Malley (Aus), S O'Hara, S Manley, C Rocca (Ita), M Brier (Aut), S Luna (Spa), W Abery (Rsa), C Rodiles (Spa), S Torrance, M Cayeux (Zim), F Henge (Swe), P Golding, A Maestroni (Ita)

73 - A Sjostrand (Swe), A Romano (Arg), M Lafeber (Ned), R Karlsson (Swe), M Millar (Aus), G Orr, M Siem (Ger), D Carter, A Forsyth, G Pietrobono (Ita), H Nystrom (Swe), P Dwyer, M Florioli (Ita)

74 - R Gonzalez (Arg), P Sjoland (Swe), S Little, J Donaldson, M Bernardini (Ita), P Broadhurst, A Mednick (Swe), Stephen Browne (Irl), G Clark

75 - N Cheetham, K Eriksson (Swe), A Zanini (Ita), B Mason, W Ormsby (Aus), D Fichardt (Rsa), S Bebb, M Soffietti (Ita)

76 - (x) E Molinari (Ita), S Walker, G Evans, Michael Hoey (NIrl), G Grillo (Ita)

77 - M Scarpa (Ita), (x) F Colombo (Ita), G Davies, R Russell

78 - Brian McElhinney (Irl), M Reale (Ita), G Molteni (Ita)

79 - M Mackenzie

80 - G Brand Jnr

81 T Tuovinen (Fin)

82 - (x) F Celano (Ita).