Top players just off top of leaderboard

Defending champion Luke Donald and Sergio Garcia opened with 5-under-par 66s Thursday, leaving them one stroke behind three leaders in the first round of the European Masters.

Garry Houston of Wales and former Ryder Cup players Jarmo Sandelin of Sweden and David Carter of England were in front with 65s. Peter Hedblom of Sweden joined Donald and Garcia at 66.

Nineteen other players were within four shots of the lead. The tournament is the first that counts toward making next year's Ryder Cup team.

Donald and Garcia are two of the four 2004 European Ryder Cup players in the field. The others are Paul Casey (67) and Miguel Angel Jimenez (71).

``I feel I haven't played a bad round here yet,'' said Donald, an Englishman who plays mostly in the United States. Last year, he won by five strokes while Garcia tied for third.

Garcia started quickly and was 5 under after eight holes, helped by a 20-foot chip-in at the third. But he failed to birdie No. 9 and was slowed with a bogey at No. 10.

``The three-putt on 10 really stopped my round,'' he said.

Casey has missed seven cuts since he won in China in March.

``This was a solid round, nothing special,'' he said. ``I plodded along nicely and picked up birdies where I could.''

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