OPEN DE ANDALUCIA RELATED STORIES Open de Andalucia Preview Round 1: Zions rides hot putter to top leaderboard Round 2: Westwood into contention with record Round 3: Lee Westwood takes over lead with 65 Round 4: Westwood wins again after four years Open de Andalucia Scores 2007 European Tour Schedule GOLF TODAY TOP STORIES Padraig Harrington hungry for more success Michelle Wie to play on PGA Tour again IGF forms 2016 Olympic Committee Greg Norman proud of achievement Ian Poulter impressive with second place Henrik Stenson happy with his best ever finish GREAT GIFTS FOR GOLFERS Golf Breaks to Portugal & Ireland Half Price Golf Vouchers InstructaCard - your portable pro! The Father & Son Golf Ch'ship Golf Insurance

Matthew Zions rides hot putter to top leaderboard

Australian Matthew Zions mastered the tricky Aloha greens on Thursday to make his mark on the European Tour for the first time by leading the Andalucia Open first round.

The 28-year-old rookie, who bases himself in Colorado where he went to university, needed only 24 putts on his way to an eight-birdie 65.

That earned him a one-shot lead over local favourite Alejandro Canizares from nearby Malaga, whose 66 separated the son of Ryder Cup man Jose Maria from a group including last week's Italian Open winner Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano.

Zions, born in Cosford, Australia, but a resident of Denver for nine years, found a new mantra to change his fortunes on the greens, suggested by mental coach Bob Rotella.

"Bob's given me the tools to help my putting and I managed to do the job today," Zions told reporters.

"I've been spending far too much time over my putts, being too technical, instead of getting on with it."

Canizares' 66 was one of the few near faultless rounds of the day as the Spanish player began a bid to add to his Russian Open success last year.

Fernandez-Castano, who is promoting the tournament, looked as though he would finish a shot better than his compatriot but dropped two late strokes to fall two off the lead.

"I got very tired in the end," Fernandez-Castano said. "Five weeks playing in a row, the emotions of the last few days, coupled with the extra pressure organising this week, was perhaps too much."

Joakim Haeggman is also on the five-under mark, despite a disturbing incident at the 18th, his ninth, where he was attacked by a goose.

Sweden's first Ryder Cup player recovered his calm to go on to collect four of his seven birdies.

"The goose came over to me and at first I laughed about it. But when I put my hand down it wanted to have a go at it and I had to give it a slap across the face, I had no choice," Haeggman told reporters.

Haeggman is battling back after a shoulder injury cost him his card last season. His rehabilitation in the eight tournaments he has played this season has not been successful either, with seven cuts missed.