Britons Marc Warren and Benn Barham and Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts, all yet to win on the main European Tour, head the Scandinavian Masters by a stroke after first-round five-under-par 67s.

Barham's was the most impressive performance of the trio as he had to play with a late replacement set of clubs after his own went missing in transit from London. They still had not been found by the time he teed off - without a practice round on the Barseback course.

As his normal set are an uncommon make - Japanese-made from 'frozen steel' that is used in the production of Samurai swords, he said - his opening round was all the more impressive.

He would have led on his own after six birdies, four in succession from the 12th, if he had not bunkered himself on the last for a closing bogey.

"I was only able to walk the course," said Barham. "It took me a couple of hours to get some new irons, new putter, wedges. I tried to get everything to match. But I've never hit a driver so much because I didn't want to hit the three-wood."

Barham also borrowed shoes which had the Swedish flag on one shoe and the European flag on the other and he found them so comfortable he intends wearing them for the rest of the week.

The only thing he is anxious to get back is his lucky ball-marker in his missing golf bag. Barham had quite a tussle last year with Warren, who won the 2005 Challenge Tour order of merit.

The Scot, who sank the winning putt for Britain and Ireland against the US in the 2001 Walker Cup is aiming to follow Swede Johan Edfors, who won the 2003 Challenge Tour order of merit and has claimed three full tour titles this season.

"Johan Edfors has had a dream season and the guys who have won the Challenge Tour are getting results on the main tour. If I can be one of those guys and kick on, I'll be delighted," said Warren.

Like Barham and Warren, Colsaerts's card for next year is by no means assured. But the self-assured Belgian is aiming higher than just keeping his card.

"I just keep knocking on the door," said Colsaerts. "People know I can do better than I have shown so far."

Edfors, looking for victory this week to enter Europe's Ryder Cup table top-10 with just five events to count before next month's match against the U.S., lies three strokes off the lead.

The 2005 US Open champion Michael Campbell missed a six-foot eagle putt on the last to deny himself a share of top place.

Henrik Stenson, the highest world-ranked player in the field at 17th, birdied two of the last three holes to be two shots off the lead.

David Bransdon, trying to follow up on fellow-Australian Mark Hensby's Stockholm victory in the event last year, moved a stroke ahead of the field on six-under but dropped three shots in the last three holes, double-bogeying the last.

Hensby, troubled by foot problems as a result of a January car accident and likely to end his season after this week, shot a 72.