Golf European tourThe gatecrashers didn't read the script. While the quartet of Paul Casey - who was, literally, as sick as a parrot in yesterday's first round of the Volvo Masters - Padraig Harrington, David Howell and Robert Karlsson were billed as the headline act in the quest for the Order of Merit title, others with just the pressure of attempting to win one of the tour's flagship events went about their business with clinical intent at Valderrama.

While Spain's Jose Manuel Lara took the first-round lead with a five-under-par round of 66, to be a shot clear of a trio that included Graeme McDowell, who enjoyed a welcome if belated return to form, the four men in contention for the Harry Vardon trophy endured rather contrasting fortunes.

For Casey, in particular, it was a horrid old day. The Englishman had spent much of the previous night suffering from gastroenteritis and carried the illness on to the course with him, requiring regular visits to the plastic portable toilets located around the course and, even, at one point, receiving an injection - behind the hoarding at the 11th tee - in an attempt to alleviate his condition.

Casey had tucked into a pre-tournament dinner of melon, parma ham and pasta on Wednesday evening.

Something disagreed with him. His caddie, Craig Connelly, brought along some medication for his player; but Casey's condition had deteriorated to such an extent by the 11th that he had called for an injection, "something for my stomach to stop the nauseous feeling and solidify, shall I say, the rest of what was in my body", he remarked, after an opening round 76.

"I've never felt so bad on a golf course and I was close to being sick out there a couple of times. It feels like I've got the 'flu as my whole body is aching," said Casey, who tried to stay out of the way of his playing partner, Padraig Harrington, as much as he could.

If Harrington found the situation to be a distraction, he refused to blame it for a round where he signed for a 73, two over. "Paul was struggling to get around. It was tough for him, nothing seemed to go right for him. I wouldn't think it had a detrimental effect of me," said Harrington, who started his round by horse-shoeing out on the first and finished by horse-shoeing out on the 18th for a bogey.

"That summed up my day on the greens. Some days, you can hole putts with your eyes shut. Another day, you can't find a way in." Yesterday was a particularly frustrating day on the greens for Harrington, who took 33 putts, including a three-putt on the 16th where he left his first putt some 12 feet short of the cup. "This is one of those days where I've played well (tee to green) and not scored. I don't believe that I've played my way out of the tournament, that's for sure. Not on this golf course. I'm seven shots behind and I am certainly not too far away. But I can't afford to have another day when the putts don't drop," contended Harrington.

Of the quartet who can win the money title, Karlsson, with an opening 69, fared best, while Howell, who only decided to play shortly before his round, holed out off a greenside bunker on the last for a closing birdie and a round of 70. Every other player in the field headed to the practice ground after their round, apart from Howell who opted for some ice and physio on his damaged shoulder. "I'm fairly hopeful I can get through the week now," he said.

With no need to keep an eye on the Order of Merit race, McDowell - first out yesterday with Simon Wakefield - lived up to his pre-tournament expectations of a good performance. In shooting a bogey-free 67, to lie just one shot adrift of first-round leader Lara, McDowell credited having the experienced caddie Ricky Roberts on his bag with improving his score by a couple of shots.

Roberts, who won three majors with Ernie Els in a caddying career that has yielded 56 wins, having also caddied for Mark McNulty and Nick Price, is on a short-term partnership with McDowell before teaming up again with Els at the Nedbank Challenge in Sun City next month.

"Ricky is a pretty sharp guy. Technically, he's been helping me with my golf swing. And, for example, he told me that all Ernie and he ever do technically is to work on stance, posture, grip and alignment and that's really it. Just trying to keep things as simple as possible," confided McDowell.

The simple approach seemed to work with McDowell, who produced a strong opening round that included four birdies: on the fourth, he holed a six-footer for birdie; on the sixth, he hit a seven-iron tee shot to eight feet and sank the putt; on the 10th, he hit a wedge to eight feet; and, then, on the 11th, he sank a 10-footer. The birdies ran out after that, and McDowell spent a considerable amount of time in the short-game practice area after his round.

"I've not had the kind of year that I expected to be having. I feel like I've learned a lot this year, about scheduling and technical issues on my swing.

"I just feel I'll be a better player after this year, no doubt about that. I'm committing myself back to Europe for the next two years and I want to get my head down and get back to what I do best and win golf tournaments. I think that's where you get the most enjoyment from the game. I haven't enjoyed much of my golf this year. It's been a tough one."

At least he has put himself into position to end the season on a very positive note. One quarter of the job is done; the hard part, though, has yet to come.