England's Benn Barham and the Scot Marc Warren stepped out of the shadows yesterday with 67s to take the joint lead in the Scandinavian Masters with Belgium's Nicolas Colsaerts after the first round at the Barseback course. Both had failed to make the weekend in 13 of their 21 Tour outings this year and find themselves outside the top 100 in the money list.
Barham (30) managed his five-under round with a collection of clubs he had begged and borrowed after his set disappeared on a BA flight from Heathrow.
"Only my clothes came off the plane in Copenhagen and there was still no news on Wednesday night," said Barham, who had a season's-best fifth-place finish in the Scottish Open three weeks ago.
"I walked the course, then had to hunt around the equipment companies to find something to play with today.
"I found a putter exactly the same and a usable wood but I had no chance of finding replicas of my Japanese irons, which are made from the same steel they use in Samurai swords - they are very rare and very expensive. I finally borrowed some shoes with the Swedish flag on one side and the European Union's on the other."
For Barham, four birdies in a row on his back nine pulled him alongside Colsaerts and Warren, winner of the Challenger Tour order of merit last year but 129th in the money list and facing the prospect of a return to Tour School.
The 25-year-old Scot, who holed the winning putt in the 2001 Walker Cup, had four birdies in five holes as he came home in 32 and said the key to his form was a six-hour lesson from Bob Torrance. "He found little wrong with my swing and I've gained a lot of confidence."
The loss of his clubs could prove a blessing in disguise: "I'm not sure what to do now if my clubs do turn up," admitted Barham. "I'm in two minds about whether to use them and sort of hoping they don't so I don't have to decide."
Former US Open champion Michael Campbell was among those one off the lead on four under but was still frustrated at not converting enough birdie, and even eagle, chances. "A 68 is probably the worst I could have shot today," complained the Brighton-based New Zealander, who has not won a strokeplay tournament since his victory at Pinehurst in 2005.
"I had 275 yards to the pin on the last and smashed a three wood to six feet but missed it for an eagle. I had a great start and was four under after nine but after that the putter went cold a little bit and I am walking off a little bit disappointed.
"It's been frustrating the last couple of months like that, hitting the ball great and not really scoring. I think the mind has got in the way so I'm trying to let my gut do the playing rather than the mind.
"I've been writing down my thoughts in a diary for the last 10 years and I keep going back to the US Open and there was nothing there. I wasn't thinking about my golf swing at all, I was thinking about other things besides golf. I'm trying to fill my mind up with thoughts other than instruction."
Peter Lawrie leads the Irish contingent with a two-under 70 to tie 18th and David Higgins went around in par, with Michael Hoey one shot away. Gary Murphy shot a two-over 74. Damien McGrane is a further shot behind. But Stephen Brown has it all to do after carding a five-over 77.
Guardian Service
