Wall leads after best ever round of 63

Anthony Wall fired an extraordinary round of nine-under 63 Thursday to take a three-shot lead after the first round of the Scandinavian Masters at Barseback Golf and Country Club. The score was one shot off the tournament low set by Geoff Ogilvy in 1999.

The 26-year-old's score was also his best round ever on the European tour, as well as the best opening round in the five stagings of the tournament at the Barseback course.

Wall began his round on the back nine and quickly moved to four-under with back-to-back birdies on 12 and 13 and again on 16 and 17. He followed with a stretch of three consecutive birdies starting at the par-four first to stand alone atop the leaderboard.

A bogey on the long par-five fifth, Wall's only dropped shot of the day, moved the Londoner into a share of the lead at six-under.

Wall quickly recovered with another stretch of three consecutive birdies to finish with a remarkable score of 29 over his final nine holes.

Four players trail Wall by three shots: Darren Clarke, Soren Hansen, Peter Hedblom, and Colin Montgomerie.

"The conditions are very good for low scoring and it's nice to have my name on the leaderboard," said Montgomerie, who won the tournament at Barseback two years ago.

Montgomerie's round of six-under 66 got off to a rocky start. Starting on the 10th, the 38-year-old Scot's second shot found a green-side bunker. He managed to escape from an awkward lie but was unable to save par after missing a four-foot putt.

On the par-five 12th, after a very good drive down the middle of the fairway, Montgomerie found the heavy rough after his attempt to go for the green clipped the top of a tree.

But the Irish Open winner was un-phased. Starting on the par-four 14th, he birdied five of the next seven holes and added an eagle on the par-five 16th.

"After three holes I was two-over par and it was not looking good, but walking to the 13th tee (his fourth hole of the day), I just said 'It's a good tournament to win from here," said Montgomerie.

Seven players finished four strokes off the lead at five-under 67, Gregory Havret, British Open runner-up Niclas Fasth, Johan Rystrom, 2001 European Ryder Cup captain Sam Torrance, and defending champion Lee Westwood.

Westwood's score was his first sub-70 round in 17 attempts. The No. 9 player in the world, who has missed four of the last six cuts, posted his best round since notching a 67 at the English Open back in early June.

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