Trio share opening day honours

French amateur Eric Chaudouet shared the first round lead on his French Open debut on Thursday, becoming the second amateur to lead on the European Tour this season.

Chaudouet, Britain's Philip Golding and Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts all shot a six-under-par 66 for a one-stroke lead.

Colsaerts ran in six successive birdies on the front nine, only two off the European Tour record.

The last amateur to lead in a European Tour event was 17-year-old Spaniard Pablo Martin, who shared top place going into the final round of the Canaries Spanish Open in late April before fading to finish 23rd. Chaudouet is only the fifth to lead since 1981.

Chaudouet, who won last year's French Amateur Championship at this week's hosting Le National club, was delighted to have been given his wild-card chance.

"I was not playing very well and it didn't look as though I would be able to play," said the 25-year-old, who had a bogey-free round. "So I am very grateful for the wild card.

"My objectives then were to play well in the French Open and play well in the European Championship (next week).

"Today, though, I wasn't really under pressure because I felt I had nothing to lose."

Golding, whose total of 16 visits to the European Tour qualifying school is a record, has turned his career around after nearly retiring at the end of last season.

The 39-year-old Englishman shot a career-best 63 in the final round of last year's Italian Open and even though he narrowly failed to keep his card he was fired by his efforts - and encouraged by family and friends - and made a successful 16th visit to qualifying school and finished third.

Colsaerts, a qualifier from last year's Challenge Tour, shot to prominence in early season when he carded a 64 in the Hong Kong Open before finishing 11th.

The 20-year-old Belgian threatened a dramatic score on Thursday when he secured seven birdies in the first eight holes, six in a row from the third, but the run came to an end with bogeys on the ninth and 10th.

Spaniards Miguel Angel Martin and Jose Manuel Lara and Britons Bradley Dredge and Gary Birch Junior shot 67s to share fourth place.

One of the tournament favourites, Briton Justin Rose, missed out on a share of fourth spot when he accidentally trod on his ball in the rough at the 17th while chatting to playing partner Ian Poulter. It cost him a one-stroke penalty as he carded 68.

Australian Stephen Leaney shot a 70 in his first event back after finishing second in the US Open while Spain's Jose Maria Olazabal, looking for a second French Open success in three years, eagled the last for a 70.

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