Italian Open:Tom Lehman was given further proof yesterday of the strength in depth of the European Tour.

Last year's American Ryder Cup captain, invited to take part in the Telecom Italian Open in Milan, sank a 165-yard seven-iron for an eagle two and returned a two-under-par 70.

But it did not even put him in the top 40 and it left him eight strokes off the pace. And that in an event featuring only three Europeans ranked in the world's top 100.

Swede Joakim Backstrom, only 447th in the rankings, broke the Tolcinasco course record and was only one stroke off the Tour's low round of the season with a 10-under 62.

The 29-year-old had two eagles and six birdies, but will take only a one-shot lead over Austrian Markus Brier into the second round.

Best of the Irish was Peter Lawrie, who had five birdies in his four-under 68 to be in the top 25.

David Higgins shot a 71, but that included an impressive recovery after a quadruple-bogey eight at the second.

Gary Murphy is on the same one-under mark, but Paul McGinley could manage only a level par 72.

Backstrom was not sure there would be any play after Wednesday's torrential rain. But he was sure glad there was.

"I had a 62 in practice last week, but that's my best round in a tournament," he said. "The greens are rolling superbly, so if you are within 10 feet you feel fairly confident that it is going to go in."

He began with a 10-footer for eagle, turned in 32 and then came home in 30, the highlight of which was a three-iron to 10 feet for another eagle at the 554-yard 15th.

Backstrom has already won on Tour - at the Aa St Omer Open in France in 2005.

EUROPRO TOUR:Colm Moriarty shot a final round of level par 72 to win the PGA EuroPro Tour Wensum Valley Open in Norfolk yesterday.

Moriarty, the overnight leader, finished on six-under-par 210 to win by two shots from England's Neil Walker with Andrew Willey, Michael Searle and Elliot Saltman all in third.

The victory earned Moriarty €14,500.

Paddy Devine, the other Irishman to make the cut, also shot 72 to finish on 219.

LET TOUR:Spain's Ana Belen Sanchez began the European leg of the LET season in perfect fashion with a faultless, five-under-par 67 at Golf del Sur in yesterday's first round of the Tenerife Ladies Open.

The 31-year-old from Malaga led by a stroke from Sweden's Cecilia Ekelundh and Italy's Federica Piovano, on 68.

Rebecca Coakley leads the Irish challenge after a first round 73, but for tour newcomers Claire Coughlan and Martina Gillen it was a disappointing day. Coughlan shot 76 with Gillen a shot back on 77.

NATIONWIDE TOUR:Scott Gutschewski fired a seven-under-par 63 to claim the early lead in the Fort Smith Classic at Hardscrabble CC in Fort Smith, Arkansas, yesterday.

Gutschewski leads by one from Paul Claxton and two from a group of four on 65.

Keith Nolan has work to do to make the cut after opening with a two-over-par 72.