Fowler leads with opening 65

Peter Fowler underlined he is back on the up when the 43-year-old Australian took a one-shot lead in the British Masters after a faultless seven-under-par 65 on Thursday.

Fowler is making his latest attempt to set up a second European Tour victory 10 years since his last.

His seven birdies bettered the efforts of the second-placed men, Spaniard Jesus Maria Arruti, Marcel Siem of Germany and Britons Raymond Russell and David Lynn.

Fowler's four birdies in five holes from the third and three birdies in four holes from the 12th indicated that his hard work in getting back into winning mode were once more paying off.

Playing with Tiger Woods in the Tour Players' Championship three weeks ago along with competing against the youngsters have proved to him he has a new lease of life.

"I just got left behind," admitted the Auckland, New Zealand-based professional, who claimed the 1993 BMW International Open title in Europe but then disappeared into obscurity, finally ending up coaching and playing challenge matches.

"It was nothing to do with age. I just wasn't good enough," he said. "I had to start all over again. Just to be able to be out with youngsters like Adam Scott and Aaron Baddeley gave me inspiration.

"Then a couple of weeks ago I got to play with Tiger Woods. If that doesn't encourage you then I don't know what does. I never thought I'd played to my potential anyway and now I'm playing better than ever."

The Australian showed up for much of the way in last week's Wales Open before finishing six shots off winner Ian Poulter.

Russell, the 1996 Cannes Open victor, is another trying to get to the winner's enclosure again.

The Scot was again in top form at the Forest of Arden course where in 1997 he equalled the European Tour record of eight successive birdies, picking up shots on the first eight holes.

Siem and Arruti played together and agreed they had "bounced off one another". The pair and Lynn are all looking for their maiden European Tour titles.

Tournament favourite Darren Clarke had to settle for a 71 and said: "It was the worst I've played all year."

Management stable mate Lee Westwood at last found the sort of form that made him 2000 European number one as he posted a 67 to share sixth place.

Defending champion Justin Rose is well in touch after a grandstand finish of eagle-birdie for a 69.

Colin Montgomerie slumped to a 73 and had a row with photographers on the seventh as he ran up a double-bogey seven, needing two shots to get out of a ditch.

It was a different story for England's Chris Gane at the same hole, however.

He celebrated his 29th birthday by capturing the first albatross (double-eagle) of the European Tour season when he holed out with his four-iron second shot at the par-five hole from 222 yards on his way to a 72.

Email this page to a friend | Return to top of page