Lawrie and Gonzalez share lead after 64s

GOLF:PAUL LAWRIE fired a seven-under-par 64 to share the lead after the first round of the Castello Masters in Spain. The 41-year-old former Open champion, in search of his first win since 2002, carded seven birdies in nine holes, including four in a row from the seventh to the 10th, in a bogey-free round to head the field alongside Argentina's Ricardo Gonzalez.

The South American did not drop a shot either, two runs of three straight birdies from the third and then from the 13th propelling him up the leaderboard.

Lawrie put his impressive opening round down to his putting. “I putted lovely. I played solidly, I didn’t play poorly, but I rolled the ball extremely well,” Lawrie said.

The leading pair were one shot ahead of David Horsey. The Englishman was just one under after the front nine, but picked up five more birdies in his next seven holes to put himself firmly in contention.

Four players, including English pair Simon Khan and Richard Finch and Scotland’s Gary Orr, were in a tie for fourth on five under.

Khan finished with a flourish, four of his six birdies coming in the final five holes after a bogey at the ninth had left him on level par halfway through his round.

Orr also had a more impressive back nine, picking up four shots in three holes with a run of birdie-eagle-birdie at the 12th, 13th and 14th.

Finch had four birdies, a bogey and an eagle, also at the par-five 13th. France’s Jean-Baptiste Gonnet was the third player to card a 66, shooting five birdies in a bogey-free round.

Six players followed on four under, including Richard Bland of England, Scot David Drysdale and Northern Ireland’s Michael Hoey.

Bland and Drysdale both had eventful rounds featuring seven birdies and three bogeys, while Huey carded six birdies and two bogeys.

Sergio Garcia shot an erratic level-par 71 in his comeback to leave him seven shots off the lead. The former world number two ended his self-enforced exile trailing, even though he is on familiar territory.

Garcia’s mixed round included a double-bogey when he found water at the short 16th and he conceded nerves had played their part on his return.

“I kept poking my head above water then every time I did so I’d screw up on the next hole,” he said.

Double Masters winner Jose Maria Olazabal, who has been battling rheumatic problems for two years, was more pragmatic than disappointed when his second outing of the season produced a 73 playing alongside Garcia.

“I’m not 100 per cent and my game is rusty,” Olazabal said. “I just want to be able to play 18 holes without too much pain, hit a few good shots and have a couple of decent scores.”

Next best of the Irish was Gareth Maybin who shot a three-under-par 68, one shot better than Shane Lowry.