European Seniors: Defending champion Des Smyth took a share of the lead with Argentine Adan Sowa on day one of the Arcapita Seniors Tour Championship in Bahrain after playing half of his round on his own, following the withdrawal of playing partners Sam Torrance and Carl Mason through injury.

Mason lasted just two holes before a back problem forced him off the course at Riffa Views, while Order of Merit winner Torrance quit after nine due to a swollen index finger.

"It was incredible - that's never happened to me before," Smyth said. "It was looking like it would be a really lonely round, but then the local pro joined me and we had a nice chit-chat. As it turned out I ended up thanking him as I pulled things around on the back nine."

The 2006 Ryder Cup vice-captain birdied three of the closing five holes to sign for a three-under-par 69, matching the score posted by Sowa earlier in the day. They are two strokes clear of a group which includes Northern Ireland's Jimmy Heggarty, who returned 71s in difficult windy conditions.

QUALIFYING SCHOOL: Norwegian rookie Eirik Tage Johansen surged to the head of the standings after the opening round of the European Tour's qualifying school final at San Roque on the Costa del Sol.

The 24-year-old, who joined the pro ranks in the summer, harnessed the testing, windy conditions over the New course and posted a neatly assembled seven-under-par 65 to ease into a three-stroke lead over Sweden's Patrik Sjoland.

Philip Walton and David Higgins start their first rounds today.

JAPAN TOUR: Sergio Garcia carded a four-under-par 68 to be two shots off the lead in the Taiheiyo Masters, but defending champion Darren Clarke slumped to a three-over-par 75.

Garcia finished with an eagle to be just off the pace set by Ryuichi Oda.

Clarke, who has won the title for the last two years over the Gotemba Course of the Taiheiyo Club, had six bogeys and only two birdies.