Els & Karlsson tie for lead

Ernie Els shot a 6-under-par 65 Thursday at the European Masters to share the first-round lead with defending champion Robert Karlsson of Sweden.

They were one stroke ahead of Eduardo Romero, Mark McNulty, Mark Farry, Henrik Bjornstad and Paul Eales.

Els, beginning play in the afternoon, had seven birdies to match Karlsson's early score. Karlsson had six birdies and an eagle.

Sergio Garcia and Michael Campbell were among 10 golfers two shots back at Crans, the first event of yearlong European qualifying for places on next year's European Ryder Cup team. Colin Montgomerie shot a 70 after collecting only one birdie on four par-5s.

Els birdied the first two holes. He had two more on the front nine, and his fifth birdie at the 10th left him one shot back. He bogeyed the short 13th from a bunker but then had two more birdies.

"I drove it well and made a couple of putts," the South African said. "It's tricky. But they've flattened out three of the greens so that helps."

Karlsson, who won by four shots last year, made an eagle 2 at the 330-yard seventh hole, driving the green.

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