Trio top first day's leaderboard

Britain's Graeme McDowell, Irishman Peter Lawrie and Jose-Filipe Lima of Portugal upstaged the European Tour's biggest names by moving one shot clear in the BMW Championship first round on Thursday.

Late starters McDowell and Lima reeled off a string of birdies on the back nine to join early pacesetter Lawrie on five-under-par 67 at a firm-running Wentworth Club.

However, world number three and Wentworth resident Ernie Els, chasing his fourth European title of the year, was among several heavyweight players who failed to make an impact.

South African Els returned a 73 and Britain's Paul Casey, one of 11 European Ryder Cup players in action, battled to a 78.

"I played well on the back nine but on the front nine I made some mistakes here and there," said three-times major winner Els.

"I didn't play great but I didn't play terrible. I had some chances but missed a lot of putts. I guess you could say there is room for improvement."

Northern Irishman McDowell sank a 10-foot putt at the last for his fifth birdie in seven holes while France-born Lima, despite having a slight back strain, picked up four shots over the closing stretch.

McDowell, who hit wedge approaches close to the flag to set up birdies on the last three holes, said he rededicated himself to the game after missing the cut at the U.S. Masters in April.

"I'd slipped back into some of my old habits, but now I'm heading back in a positive direction," the 25-year-old told reporters.

"Today was the first time I came out and felt I was hitting the shots that I wanted to be hitting. And it was nice to finish so strong."

Lawrie held the clubhouse lead for most of the day after teeing off in the first group and holing out three times from off the green.

"It was a great draw to be off first this morning and I was able to take advantage of it," said the 31-year-old Dubliner, who eagled the par-four eighth with a sand wedge from 124 yards.

A stroke back in a tie for fourth place were Australians Nick O'Hern, Peter Fowler, Marcus Fraser and Wade Ormsby, 2003 British Open champion Ben Curtis, Swedes Peter Hedblom and Marten Olander and 2001 winner Andrew Oldcorn of Britain.

Ian Woosnam, Europe's Ryder Cup captain, struggled to a 75 but former European number one Lee Westwood, boosted by three birdies in the last four holes, returned a 72.

Three-times champion Colin Montgomerie, who needs to finish no worse than 16th to have a chance of qualifying for next month's U.S. Open, birdied the last for a 71, a score matched by Denmark's Thomas Bjorn.

"It was tricky out there and I didn't hit the ball close enough to the pin," said seven-times European number one Montgomerie. "But there's three days to go, so no worries.

"Forget the U.S. Open," added the 41-year-old Scot. "I didn't play in it last year and if I don't play this year, it would not hurt me either. But it would be nice to get in by some way or means."

British Ryder Cup player Luke Donald, competing in the European Tour's flagship event for the first time, was on track for an impressive opening round before falling foul of the par-five 18th.

The 27-year-old Englishman was just a stroke off the lead going down the last but struck his fairway wood second shot well right into trees before running up a double-bogey seven for a 71.

"It was fun up until my second shot on the 18th, but I played nicely today," said Donald, who normally competes on the U.S. Tour.

"It shows, if you let your mind slip for one minute round here, you can make a number."

U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen, another late starter, recovered from a stumbling start as two birdies in the last three holes earned him a first-round 70.

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