Golf/Volvo PGA Championship: The cosy intimacy fostered by playing in his figurative back garden allowed Ernie Els to shoot a first round 64 and claim the lead at the Volvo PGA Championship.

The South African owns a house adjoining the 16th fairway of the West course at Wentworth but his excellent eight under regulation figures is not just attributable to the soothing quality of the familiar surroundings.

Five times Els has won the World Matchplay title around this Harry Colt-designed parkland layout, a record he shares with Seve Ballesteros and Gary Player. The only surprise is he is yet to win this title.

Not that he's about to become complacent on the strength of one round, denying he expected to play well here by rote. "I think if you start thinking like that you're going to be in trouble. I like the course and before I went out this morning, I felt I was striking the ball well, so I felt good about my chances.

"I know the course well and I know the greens very well so if I strike the ball well, I feel I have a good chance of shooting a good score. But I definitely just don't expect to play well every time I go out there."

There is an additional incentive for Els this week in that victory would lift him to number two in the world, providing the current occupant, Vijay Singh, finishes outside the top five - not that this seems likely as the Fijian and close friend of Els signed for a 66.

Els' priorities lie away from the pursuit of Tiger Wood's number one ranking, instead he would prefer to acquire major championships and tournament victories.

"I don't think it is my ultimate goal. I'm moving towards another step in my career.

"If your performances are up to scratch obviously you are going to get the (world ranking) points. Deep down I think Vijay already thinks he's playing like the number one. I feel like I'm getting there myself. There's quite a group of players that have separated themselves a little bit and it's going to be a good couple of years."

When asked to elaborate on who he was referring to, the South African replied: "Tiger (Woods), Vijay (Singh), myself, Phil (Mickelson) and Davis Love."

Of more immediate concern will be those pressing on his heels at Wentworth, the closest initially being Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez and Welshman Stephen Dodd just a single stoke back.

Sweden's Chris Hanell, one of the late starters, joined Jimenez and Dodd at seven under when he eagled the last hole, his second such feat on the back nine.

Jimenez has already amassed three victories on the European Tour this season, the Johnnie Walker Classic, the Algarve Open de Portugal and the British Masters. The Spaniard turned in five under 30 and although his progress on the journey home was less spectacular, two further birdies inspired a blemish-free card.

Dodd, too, didn't concede a stroke to the card, with seven birdies seeing him sign for a 65. His best finish was second place at the 2001 North West of Ireland Open and he had no inkling that a round like yesterday's was in the offing, having played poorly for the past few weeks. He attributed the improvement to work on his address position during a weekend spent with his coach.

"It was about getting some loft on my club because I had been hitting a lot of bad shots. I drove it straight and when you're coming off the fairway it's a lot easier. I hit some good iron shots as well."

Singh is poised on six under, the key to his round a 15-foot putt for par on the sixth hole. "I was pleased with that because I hit the wrong club off the tee so instead of laying up short of the bunker I laid up into it. I found sand again and made it (the putt) from just off the green."

The Fijian had yet to tee off when Els posted his score but Singh is a bit long in the tooth to have been intimidated. "I wasn't worried. I knew that if I started chasing him then I'd probably have a miserable day. My goal was to shoot three, four, five under."

If the putt on the sixth was pivotal in terms of momentum then he will reflect on the last two holes when he twice missed the fairway from the tee, yet grabbed birdies on both occasions, demonstrating an assured touch from 70 and 80 yards out with a wedge.

Colin Montgomerie's miserable run of late looked like it was going to continue when he slipped to two over par after four holes but his back nine was considerably more productive and included holing his four-iron second shot at the par four, 13th, from 194 yards. He came back in 33 shots for a two under total.

The day proved less edifying for Dean Robertson, the Scot running up a treble bogey, quadruple bogey, birdie finish for an 80. His nine at the 17th was largely attributable to two successive drives out of bounds, as a result playing five off the tee.

It's been an excellent opening to the tournament, Wednesday night's heavy rain producing softer greens than the players expected. The leaderboard boasts plenty of quality and with it the prospect of an exhilarating contest over the next three days.

First round scores

(Par 72)

64 - E Els (Rsa)

65 - S Dodd, M A Jimenez (Spa), C Hanell (Swe)

66 - V Singh (Fij), S Drummond

67- R Green (Aus), N Colsaerts (Bel), I Garrido (Spa), D Gilford, A Cabrera (Arg), J Rose, A Hansen (Den), A Coltart

68 - A Wall, P Casey, J Haeggman (Swe), M Lafeber (Ned), R Goosen (Rsa), D Clarke, I Poulter, J Bickerton, D Fichardt (Rsa), S Khan

69 - M Tunnicliff, P Hedblom (Swe), A Scott (Aus), P Lonard (Aus), M Siem (Ger), J Kingston (Rsa), P Lawrie, M Ilonen (Fin), E Romero (Arg), T Jaidee (Thai), P O'Malley (Aus), R Sterne (Rsa), FAnderrson (Swe), C Kelly

70 - M Olander (Swe), S Struver (Ger), P Hanson (Swe), G Orr, M Roe, J Spence, P Price, C Montgomerie, N Fasth (Swe), N Faldo, M Vibe-Hastrup (Den)

71 - J-F Remesy (Fra), S Kjeldsen (Den), S Lyle, G McDowell, J Randhawa (Ind), R Karlsson (Swe), J Sandelin (Swe), N O'Hern (Aus), S Wakefield, P Wesselingh, S Webster, P McGinley, R Jacquelin (Fra), M Fraser (Aus), P Golding, R Russell, I Pyman, B Austin

72 - M Hazelden, A Marshall, P Lawrie, D Park, T Bjorn (Den), J M Olazabal (Spa), P Fulke (Swe), T Levet (Fra), M A Martin (Spa), M Plummer, P Sjoland (Swe), L Thompson, R Rock, I Woosnam, B Lane, R Gonzalez (Arg), D Howell, D Lynn, P Fowler (Aus), I Ellis, T Price (Aus), J Edfors (Swe), M Lemesurier

73 - S Scahill (Nzl), D Higgins, L Westwood, B Curtis (USA), A Forsyth, T Johnstone (Zim), S Fernandez (Arg), H Otto (Rsa), S Little, E Canonica (Ita), R Chapman, S Luna (Spa), G Brand Jnr, K Ferrie, M Foster, B Dedge, G Murphy, J Lomas, D Moonedy, J Clement (Swi)

74 - G Law, T Immelman (Rsa), M Campbell (Nzl), S Gallacher, G Evans, C Cevaer (Fra), P Simpson, M Blackey, R Drummond, M Wiegele (Aut), M Maritz (Rsa), C Schwartzel (Rsa), S Hansen (Den), C Rodiles (Spa), J Moseley (Aus), M Mackenzie, D Mooney.

75 - P Baker, A Oldcorn, N Dougherty, T Dier (Ger), B Kennedy (Aus), H Bjornstad (Nor), J M Lara (Spa), B Davis, H Stenson (Swe), M McGuire

76 - C Rocca (Ita), K Eriksson (Swe), R Muntz (Ned), J Cheetham, D Borrego (Spa), S Henderson, J M Carriles (Spa)

77 - G Havret (Fra), M Tottey, N Sato (Jpn), P Cherry, J Van de Velde (Fra), R-Jan Derksen (Ned), M Brier (Aut)

78 - P Broadhurst, D Greenwood

79 - M Erlandsson (Swe)

80 - D Shacklady, D Robertson

82 - Craig Goodfellow

Withdrew: B Rumford (Aus), Note: K Eriksson withdrew after first round