McDowell and Murphy two off lead

MADRID OPEN: Former Ryder Cup player Paul Broadhurst is in the hunt for his first European tour victory for nine years after adding a 65 to his opening 67 in the Madrid Open yesterday.

But the 39-year-old wishes that Peter Baker, his best friend on the circuit, was still at Club de Campo battling for the title with him.

Baker crashed to a 77 and his failure to make the cut means he has lost his card after 19 years on the circuit and will have to make his first trip to the qualifying school next month.

Despite earnings of over €4 million the Englishman dropped outside the tour's top 40 career money-winners this season and has failed to finish in the top 115 on the Order of Merit.

"Too many destructive shots," he said. "I've just got to find a game for three weeks' time - and I've got to enjoy it more. The two go together, I suppose."

"I've been through it myself," said Broadhurst, who three years ago fell off the tour and failed to survive the school.

When he went back there 12 months later it was make-or-break time for his career, but he produced a brilliant last round to get his card back and in the two seasons since has won over €600,000.

A month ago he became a father for the fourth time and he added: "I could easily have stayed at home this week because my wife's not been 100 per cent. But with the Volvo Masters next week I wanted to keep my game ticking over."

In February Broadhurst was in a supermarket queue when someone tapped him on the shoulder. His six-year-old son, Sam, was with him and told the man: "My dad used to be a really good golfer."

Seven birdies yesterday showed he still is and took him onto the 10-under-par mark of 132, a shot ahead of Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez, South African Darren Fichardt and Swede Johan Edfors.

Tournament favourite Jimenez, four over par after six holes of his first round, produced a spectacular 63, while Fichardt would have shared top spot but for a closing three-putt bogey and Edfors had a 67 as he continued his bid for the first or second place he needs to keep his card.

Ulsterman Graeme McDowell, sixth on the Order of Merit and loser of a play-off to Stephen Gallacher in the Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews only two weeks ago, returned a 64 to surge through the field and be just two back.

He was joined by Kilkenny's Gary Murphy, who posted an excellent 66 and remains on course to qualify for next week's Volvo Masters.

Peter Lawrie became the third Irishman to make the cut, his 67 bringing him to within six shots of the leader.

But Damien McGrane of Wexford, struggling to survive after his first-round 75, could manage only a 71 and missed out.

Spain's Jose Manuel Lara missed out on a European Tour record by a single shot when he scored 28 for nine holes.

Lara birdied all but the 11th and 15th on the inward half. The record of 27 was set by his compatriot Jose Maria Canizares in 1978 and has since been equalled by Robert Lee (twice), Joakim Haeggman and, at this year's Wales Open, Simon Khan.