Ernie Els gave an intriguing dimension yesterday to successive rounds of 80 and 66. Never mind that they happened to be shot almost six weeks apart; the important thing was that the latter one gave him a share of the first round lead with Scotland's Gary Orr, in the £1.2 million TPC Open of Europe here at St Leon-Rot.

The entire exercise served to emphasise the freedom which comes from wealth. Utterly depressed after a final round of 80 when in a challenging position for the US Masters on April 11th, Els decided he needed a break. As he put it: "I told myself that if I don't feel like playing, then I won't play."

Suitably refreshed after a week in Orlando, five days in the Bahamas, 10 days in his native South Africa and 10 days at his new home in Wentworth, he was set fair for the fray once more and had only 24 putts in a bogey-free round. Those of us who have felt a little overwrought at times could well imagine the benefits of such gentle cosseting.

Orr, on the other hand, arrived here with the modest form of a 33rd-place finish at The Oxfordshire last week. But after starting on the 10th, he had the early boost of holing a 60-foot putt for a birdie on the 13th and then chipping in for another birdie on the next.

Like Darren Clarke, who shot 70, the Scot enjoyed the best of a day. It started with a gentle breeze which freshened considerably around lunchtime, but when the late starters set out the afternoon was absolutely calm. All of which highlighted the quality of the morning round by Els and a fine 70 from the other leading Irish challenger, Paul McGinley.

There was rich evidence that Clarke is gradually approaching his best form. Among his quality shots was a down-the-shaft wedge of 133 yards to within three feet of the ninth pin and a punched seven iron of 150 yards, also to three feet, at the 10th. And he made a fine up-and-down at the last, after being dangerously close to the water in two.

"I was erratic at times, but the important thing is that my good shots are getting better," he said after carding four birdies. For his part, McGinley had reason to be entirely satisfied with an effort which contained three birdies from the second to the fifth - his 11th to 14th.

It's not often that a tournament professional is called upon to hit five-wood second shots to par fours. But McGinley had to do so on four occasions, prompting him to remark: "If you're the slightest bit off your game here, or if you're hedging your bets, you're certain to be punished."

Philip Walton knew what he meant. Despite some comforting words from playing partner Des Smyth, he was still devastated after a wretched 82 which ended with a triple-bogey seven.

"The driver let me down," he said bleakly. "I just can't seem to take my game from the practice ground to the course."

Having missed four successive cuts before his arrival here, Walton's confidence is now clearly at a very low ebb.

Tiger Woods on 69, and Mark O'Meara and Nick Price on 71, could be thought to be paying their way at this stage, which seemed to please Orr.

"I know they're being paid a lot of money to be here but that's up to the sponsors. They have star quality and if you're up against better players, you have to play better."

Young Spaniard Sergio Garcia also showed his class - he had 12 putts in his last 12 holes for a 70.

Eamonn Darcy, who shot 73, claimed that thoughtless crowd behaviour - he had Colin Montgomerie and local favourite Bernhard Langer ahead of him - cost him two strokes. But his recent form with the blade remained solid in a total of 30 putts, including three birdie efforts of between eight and 20 feet.

Padraig Harrington, who also had a 73, could have used this productive touch. Instead, he three-putted twice and had 35 putts in all. After starting on the 10th, his most damaging lapse came on the sixth, his 15th, where he drove into right rough, took two hacks to get out and later three-putted for a double-bogey six.

The only bright spot in Smyth's 74 was a birdie at the long 16th, where he holed from 25 feet. Meanwhile, having returned to the short, orthodox putter, John McHenry experienced the shock of yipping a two-footer on his opening hole and another from a foot, two holes later, as he slumped to a 77.