QUINN DIRECT BRITISH MASTERS RELATED STORIES Quinn Direct British Masters Preview Round 1: Martin Erlandsson leads with opening 63 Round 2: Robert-Jan Derksen & Mark Foster top leaderboard Round 3: Mark Foster leads despite late double bogey Round 4: Late burst seals win for Lee Westwood Quinn Direct British Masters Scores 2007 European Tour Schedule GOLF TODAY TOP STORIES Colin Montgomerie plays down Ryder Cup talk Top players absent from Tigers' event Opportunities abound without Tiger playing Olazabal & Clarke miss out on Open Kenny Perry moves back in to World Top 20 Tiger Woods unsure of when he'll return 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

Martin Erlandsson leads with opening 63

Martin Erlandsson shot a 9-under 63 Thursday to take the lead after the first round of the British Masters.

The Swede leads Jarmo Sandelin and Richard Sterne by two strokes.

"I don't think I missed a single shot today," said Erlandsson, who was 7 under on his final nine holes. "I was spot-on with my swing,"

Soren Kjeldsen (66) three-putted his final hole and was tied fourth with Raphael Jacquelin. Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland, playing his first tournament as a professional, shot a bogey-free 69, including chip-ins at the 11th and 12th holes.

Other notable players in the field include Lee Westwood (68), Colin Montgomerie (70), Paul McGinley (70), Robert Karlsson (71), David Howell (72) and Darren Clarke (74).

Erlandsson excelled on his second nine, starting with an eagle at the long third hole where he chipped in from 20 feet. He birdied the fourth and the last four holes.