GOLF:EUROPEAN TOUR rookie Michael Lorenzo-Vera will take a one-stroke lead into the second round of the China Open after carding a five-under-par 67 yesterday.

After a bogey on the first, the 23-year-old Frenchman picked up six birdies to finish one clear of a seven-strong chasing pack, including Damien McGrane.

The Irishman could have been sharing the lead with Lorenzo-Vera, having picked up five birdies in his round, but he had stumbled at the 18th, his ninth, for his only bogey.

Lorenzo-Vera won last year's Challenge Tour and is playing in his 10th tour event of the season at the Beijing CBD International Golf Club, where the field is chasing the €232,000 winner's cheque at the co-sanctioned European and Asian tour event.

His best finish was at the Alfred Dunhill Championship in December when he tied for ninth, but he put himself in a promising position to better that with a fine opening round.

"I am making better decisions and it is getting easier on the course," he said. "I was making mistakes with the strategy and that is getting much better, so I am very happy."

McGrane is joined by English trio Zane Scotland, Simon Griffiths and Richard Finch in a tie for second.

Scotland, looking to get his career back on track following a severe neck injury in 2003, carded six birdies and two bogeys, while Asian Tour regular Griffiths carded an eagle on the par-four seventh on the way to his 68.

An eagle on the par-four 11th helped Finch soar up the leaderboard, while the Yorkshireman also picked up five birdies.

Graeme McDowell is left with work to do in the second round to get into contention. McDowell, who won the Ballentines Championship in South Korea last month, carded a 73.

Gary Murphy had a lone birdie in his 75, and will struggle to make the cut, while Peter Lawrie will need something special after recording seven bogeys in his 79.

England's David Howell was bitterly disappointed to finish on level par after imploding on the back nine.

The former Ryder Cup player putted sublimely, sinking seven birdies to reach five-under with four to go, but then dropped five strokes, including a horror triple-bogey on his last hole.

"Five under would have been miraculous, three under great, but level is disastrous," Howell said.