The St George flags, the ones that can be attached to car windows, are on sale in the petrol station outside the main entrance to the Wentworth Club for £1.99. Of course, they're aimed at a certain football team heading for next month's World Cup finals in Germany but, for those inclined, an even earlier use could be made of them considering the first round leaderboard here at the BMW Championship.

While Andrew McLardy, a South African born in Zimbabwe of Scottish parentage might be seen as something of an interloper, the other members of the quartet - Nick Dougherty, Paul Casey and Luke Donald - of first-round leaders on five-under-par 67 are very much as English as the river Thames.

For Dougherty, currently occupying the last automatic place in the European qualifying table for the Ryder Cup, yesterday's round was attributed to words of wisdom from his father, Roger, who has been a guiding force in his son's progress as a professional.

The trip to his son's home wasn't without it's share of drama, however. Dougherty has a two-tier garage, and when his father parked his car in it and operated the mechanisms, it transpired that the car was too big and it was crushed. "This is a little payback for him," said Dougherty of his promising opening round.

"My dad arguably knows my game better than anyone else, better than me," remarked Dougherty of a round that really caught fire on the homeward run which he covered in five-under 32. "I have a tendency to make things more difficult than they are. Out there on tour, there is so many people. Coaches, mind gurus and physical people and they all have their place. But it is really easy to get over complicated."

So, having come home from the Irish Open with a lack of confidence in his game, Dougherty got his dad to drive down from Liverpool to impart old wisdom. "I was really unconfident when I left Ireland and my dad came down and made it simple, which makes you think how easy the game is. Just hit it down the fairway, knock it on the green, and make the putt. I mean, how hard is it really?"

Dougherty's strategy of not over-analysing things worked a treat for him yesterday, as his homeward run produced five birdies and not a dropped shot.

Casey also produced a storming finish, birdieing the 17th and then eagling the 18th. Faced with a 218 yards approach to the last, Casey hit a five-iron to nine-feet and rolled in the eagle putt. "This is the very first professional tournament I watched live as a child. I came to many PGA Championships and the world matchplay events and watched the greats of the game, so I've very, very good memories here. I'd dearly love to have a good finish," said Casey.

Donald, too, had one of those rounds that dreams are made of. The Ryder Cup player hit all 18 greens in regulation, a feat that was rewarded with a round that brought five birdies and not a dropped shot. "It was target golf," said Donald of conditions where his longest birdie putt was of 15 feet.

It wasn't all plain sailing, however, as Donald - despite sharing the lead - admitted to having some problems on the greens.

"These greens in general are just very subtle. They are very hard to read, with little breaks that you don't see,"he explained.