Ireland's Padraig Harrington is among four golfers - Sweden's Patrik Sjoland, and the Argentine pair of Jose Coceres and Angel Cabrera - sharing the lead at six under par in the £2 million German Masters at the Larcenhof course in Cologne after yesterday's first round.
Harrington set about erasing memories of last week's Belgacom Open disappointment - when he forfeited a third-round one-stroke lead to lose by five strokes to Westwood.
But as the Dubliner headed down the final fairway he was reminded of last year's German Masters scenario when he and Ian Woosnam lost a play-off to Spain's Sergio Garcia.
"I was thinking of last year and I wish I had hit a three wood down that hole like I did today," said Harrington.
"I was in contention the year before as well but that 18th got me again. It seems to be a good course for me."
Sjoland, who won this year's Murphy's Irish Open title, is returning to form after missing the cut in three of his last four starts.
Meanwhile Colin Montgomerie sounded a further warning to his Order of Merit rivals by declaring his desire to clinch victory in two of his three remaining tournaments this year in Europe.
The Scot set out in search of that goal, and an eighth straight Order of Merit title, with a five-under-par 67 to be just one shot off the pace. Montgomerie shares fifth place with fellow Scot Gary Orr, Italy's Emanuele Canonica, Germany's Bernhard Langer and the English pair of David Carter and Roger Winchester.
Worksop's Lee Westwood, looking to capture a record-equalling sixth Tour win this year, carded a two-under-par 70 whilst defending champion, Sergio Garcia of Spain, had a level-par 72.
Montgomerie, who has finished well down in his past three events, was off to a poor start with a first-hole bogey but steadied to add six birdies.
"Competition makes the world go around and I haven't been competitive for a number of weeks," he said.
"I feel I am getting it back to being that way and this is the first round of 12 that are very important and that's why it's good to get in a five under.
"Hopefully this time I can go forward with it. It's a good, reasonable start and it's an important month-and-a-half coming up and what has happened to me over the last seven years is very special to me, and I will only give in when it's mathematically impossible to do so."
Nick Faldo, competing in his third 2001 Ryder Cup qualifying event, was in trouble over his last two holes but managed to salvage par on each occasion for a round of 70.
"It was a nice finish but I just plodded away and that's alright for starters," said Faldo.
Sweden's Mats Lanner was handed the keys of a new Jaguar after his hole-in-one at the 16th.
Paul McGinley returned a one under par 71 while Eamonn Darcy and Ronan Rafferty were two shots further back on 73.
First round scores
(British unless stated, Irish in bold)
66 - P Sjoland (Swe), P Harrington (Irl), A Cabrera (Arg), J Coceres (Arg). 67 - R Winchester, B Langer (Ger), E Canonica (Ita), D Carter, G Orr, C Montgomerie. 68 - T Bjorn (Den), A McLardy (Rsa), M Campbell (Nzl), R Claydon, P Mitchell, J Senden (Aus), M Angel Jimenez (Spa), Per-Ulrik Johansson (Swe), J Bickerton, A Coltart, W Huget (Ger, M Florioli (Ita). 69 - M Gronberg (Swe), E Romero (Arg), I Garrido (Spa), V Singh (Fij), S Luna (Spa), A Wall, B Davis, D Robertson, A Cekja (Ger). 70 - S Torrance, L Westwood, N Fasth (Swe), N Faldo, D Howell, I Garbutt, C Hanell (Swe), P Price, R Chapman, G Owen, R Goosen (Rsa), A Scott (Aus), P Quirici (Swi), M Lanner (Swe), G Ogilvy (Aus), J Moseley (Aus). 71 - R Wessels (Rsa), J Van de Velde (Fra), G Turner (Nzl), M Farry (Fra) S Webster, S Tinning (Den), M McNulty (Zim), G Evans, T Levet (Fra), M Jonzon (Swe), P McGinley (Irl), S Kjeldsen (Den), P Fulke (Swe), S Leaney (Aus), L Fracassi (Ita). 72 - S Garcia (Spa), P Lawrie, F Cea (Spa), C Franco (Par), J Sandelin (Swe), P Eales, E Simsek (Ger), D Park, R Muntz (Ned), J Rivero (Spa), T Dier (Ger). 73 - Steven Richardson, V Phillips, E Darcy (Irl), K Ekjord (Nor), K Vainola (Fin), S Struver (Ger), R Rafferty, P Baker, D Borrego (Spa), K Baraka (Ger), A Bossert (Swi), I Woosnam, F Lubenau (Ger). 74 - R Gonzalez (Arg), R Huxtable (USA), MA Martin (Spa), R MacFarlane, M Scarpa (Ita), T Gogele (Ger), J Spence, C Rocca (Ita), A Forsyth, A Forsbrand (Swe), T Gillis (USA).. 75 - P O'Malley (Aus), J Maria Olazabal (Spa), S Hansen (Den), T Johnstone (Zim), L Parsons (Aus), D Proessel (Ger). 76 - R Geilenberg (Ger). 79 - M James, S Ballesteros (Spa). 80 - S Wittkop (Ger). 81 - S Allan (Aus).
