Wales Open:A return to not just one, but two happy hunting grounds this week might just be the thing to reignite the career of Paul Lawrie
Europe's last winner of a major title was back at Carnoustie for a company day on Monday before travelling to the scene of his last victory in the 2002 Wales Open at Celtic Manor.
And the 38-year-old from Aberdeen began the event with a four-under-par 65 to share the clubhouse lead - with no fewer than eight others.
Fellow Scots Gary Orr and Steven O'Hara, Spain's Jose Manuel Lara, Australian Brett Rumford, New Zealander Steve Alker, Argentina's Ricardo Gonzalez and Dane Soren Kjeldsen all finished on the same mark, and so did England's Paul Broadhurst four days after slumping to an 80 when sharing the lead in the BMW PGA Championship.
Favourite Retief Goosen, Colin Montgomerie and Wentworth winner Anders Hansen, however, were not even in the top 75 after one-over rounds of 70.
Ireland's Peter Lawrie was just a shot back on three under, sharing 10th spot with 10 others.
By missing seven of his last nine cuts, Paul Lawrie has dropped back outside the world's top 250 and has slumped to 132nd on the European Order of Merit.
But the 1999 British Open champion, no longer exempt for all the majors in America, said: "I was six under after 14 on Monday using a new putter and holed a good few eight to 10-footers with it today.
"I don't think I've actually been playing that poorly, but I haven't been knocking them in as I'd want to.
"But that's the game, isn't it? You don't always get what you think you should.
"I always enjoy coming here. The hotel is one of the nicest we stay in on Tour, I feel comfortable and I have had a good record."
As well as winning and setting a course record five years ago, he lost a play-off to Paul McGinley in 2001, albeit all on a different lay-out to the one being used this week.
The bad weather was never likely to alter his good feelings about the venue that will stage the 2010 Ryder Cup.
"Obviously it's quite like back home for me. The weather is never that great, but I don't mind. I don't wake up wishing for it, but when it comes it doesn't bother me."
A 35-foot chip-in on the short 15th, his sixth, certainly helped his cause and his only mistake came when he three-putted the fourth.
Lawrie is looking forward to returning to Carnoustie for the Open in just seven weeks, especially as his eight and 12-year-old sons will be watching him there this time."
Brett Rumford, who was among those tied at the top, was delighted to be making news for the quality of his golf rather than just the speed of it.
On Sunday he completed a closing 77 in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth in 113 minutes, just five minutes outside the Tour record.
This time, with two playing partners and golfers ahead of him to slow him down, he took nearly two-and-a-half hours longer, but needed 12 strokes fewer.
Aware this was the place where England's Phillip Archer equalled the Tour record with an opening 60 last year and eventual winner Robert Karlsson set records for 36 and 54 holes by starting 61-63-65 Rumford said: "A score is there to be had, but if you are not driving well the course can really turn on you."
But Bradley Dredge, the main Welsh hope following the withdrawals of Stephen Dodd (migraine) and Ian Woosnam (viral fatigue), tucked in just behind with a 66.
On the same mark is 2005 US Open champion Michael Campbell, while Archer was two under after seven. Not thinking of a 59 maybe, but well in the hunt for the title again.
Gary Murphy fired a one-under 68, while Damien McGrane was well off the pace with a 72.
Graeme McDowell started the back nine with four consecutive bogeys and signed for a 74.
(Roman Road course at Celtic Manor)
First round
65 - S Alker (New Zealand), P Broadhurst , R Gonzalez (Arg), S Kjeldsen (Den), J Manuel Lara (Spa), P Lawrie, S O'Hara, G Orr , B Rumford (Aus),
66 - L Bond, G Bourdy (Fra), M Campbell (New Zealand), C Cevaer (Fra), B Dredge , M Eliasson (Swe), M Erlandsson (Swe), A Forsyth, J Haeggman (Swe), J Kingston (Rsa), Peter Lawrie (Irl), O Wilson , M Zions (Aus),
67 - G Fernandez-Castano (Spa), M Foster , S Gallacher , J Heath , G Houston , M Ilonen (Fin), S Khan, D Lynn , P Price , R Rock, R Sterne (Rsa), M Vibe-Hastrup (Den),
68 - P Archer , D Bransdon (Aus), R Cabrera (Spa), D Carter, M Fraser (Aus), D Frost (Rsa), Ignacio Garrido (Spa), D Griffiths, A Haig (Rsa), R Jacquelin (Fra), S Kapur (Ind), T Levet (France), Gary Murphy (Ireland), E Rush , K Sullivan , A Tampion (Australia), S Webster ,
69 - R Fisher, M Richardson, S Bebb, N Dougherty, M Siem (De), A Coltart, S Wakefield, G Storm, A Rocha (Br), M Higley, Wen-chong Liang (Cn), Simon Thornton (Irl), E Canonica (It), J Randhawa (In)
70 - H Nystrom (Se), R Goosen (Za), J Sandelin (Se), C Montgomerie, B Barham, R McEvoy, P Senior (Au), O Fisher, P Hanson (Se), G Marks, S Little, M Tunnicliff
71 - F Molinari (It), M Lafeber (Nl), K Ferrie, G Lockerbie, R Karlsson (Se), A Wall, D Drysdale, R Finch, T Whitehouse, A Canete (Ar), S Lyle, I Garbutt
72 - C Suneson (Es), C Nilsson (Se), M Millar (Au), A Marshall, J Lomas, C Nirat (Th), F Andersson Hed (Se)
73 - R Bland, S Webster, P Gustafsson (Se), B Hafthorsson (Is), S Dyson, G Emerson, M Pilkington, S Struver (De), J Manuel Carriles (Es), W Ormsby (Au), P O'Malley (Au)
74 - L Claverie (Es), S Luna (Es), C Rodiles (Es),
75 - R Enoch
76 - M Warren,
77 - D Vancsik (Ar), T Jaidee (Th), M Litton
78 - G Davies, L Matthews, A Mork (Fr)
MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT
(Muirfield Village GC, Dublin, Ohio),
Early first round scores
65 - Sean O'Hair
66 - Aaron Baddeley (Aus),, Tim Herron, Ernie Els (Rsa),,
67 - W MacKenzie
68 - Ted Purdy, Billy Mayfair, Matt Kuchar,
69 - Rocco Mediate, Boo Weekley, Charles Howell III, Sergio Garcia (Spa),, Kenny Perry.
70 - Cliff Kresge, Ian Poulter (Eng),, Jonathan Byrd, Ryan Palmer, Stuart Appleby (Aus),, Jason Gore, Corey Pavin, Jim Furyk, Brett Quigley.
71 - Robert Allenby (Aus), .
72 -Peter Lonard (Aus),, Chris Couch, Jason Bohn,
73 - Luke Donald (Eng),, John Rollins, Jerry Kelly, Nathan Green (Aus), ,
74 - Jeff Quinney, Bo Van Pelt, Jose Coceres (Col),, Shaun Micheel, Brad Faxon, Chris DiMarco, Mathias Gronberg (Swe), .
CHALLENGE TOUR - Pro-Am (Marriott Worsley Park, Manchester), Leading first round scores: 61 - M Lorenzo-Vera (Fra),; 64 - S Davis (Eng),; T Dykes (Wal),; 65 - P Ericsson (Swe),; JWilliams (Wal),; David Horsey (Am), (Eng),; 66 - K Eriksson (Swe),; M Bothma (Rsa),; Paul Eales (Eng),; N Cheetham (Eng),; David Higgins (Irl),; G Clark (Eng),; R Mcgowan (Eng),; P Dwyer (Eng),; G Murray (Sco),; 67 - A Snobeck (Fra),; M Maritz (Rsa),; D Mackinnon (Eng),; J Sköld (Swe),; G Wright (Wal),, L Westerberg (Swe),; R Santos (Por),; A Butterfield (Eng),; A Mcarthur (Sco),; L Brovold (Nor),; D Dixon (Eng),
68 - J Billot (Fra); Tobias Dier (Ger); A Schmidt Hansen (Den); J Zapata (Arg); S Osborne (Eng); D Denison (Eng); T Nielsen (Den); E Ramsay (Sco); I Pyman (Eng); B Wiesberger (Aut); A Oldcorn (Sco); G Acosta (Arg); R Dinwiddie (Eng); C Gane (Eng); S Cage (Eng); R Treis (Ger); M Del Podio (Ita); B Mason (Eng); H Rey (Arg);
69 - P Golding (Eng); J Ruth (Eng); M King (Eng); Z Scotland (Eng); R Coles (Eng); Joe Templer (Eng); Chris Hanson (Eng); K Staunton (Eng); C Menut (Fra); B Coathalem (Fra); C Doak (Sco); A Mellor (Eng); T Milford (Eng); A Garcia-Heredia (Esp); T Cruz (Por); B Teilleria (Fra); J Doherty (Sco); T Karjalainen (Fin); B Willman (Eng); Michael Hoey (Nir); V Phillips (Eng); M Jonzon (Swe); P Worthington (Eng) ;T Fleetwood (Am) (Eng);
70 - R Eyraud (Fra); M A Carlsson (Swe); J Hugo (Rsa); D Suazo (Esp); K Harper (Eng); O David (Fra); M Lundberg (Swe); J Larsen (Nor); G Canizares (Esp); M Sheppard (Wal); Damian Mooney (Nir); G Paddison (Nzl); M Kempe (Ger); A Velasco (Esp); K Baraka (Ger); S Nash (Aus); O Whiteley (Eng);
71 - S Robinson (Eng); C Mills (Wal); A Ahokas (Fin); C Reimbold (Ger); M Merizalde (Col); J Wade (Aus); S Little (Eng); A Zanini (Ita); G Rojas (Arg); C Del Moral (Esp); A Smith (Wal); E De La Riva (Esp); J Xanthopoulos (Fra); N Walker (Eng); J Kamte (Rsa); E Molinari (Ita); Stephen Browne (Irl); J Mellor (Eng); P Whiteford (Sco); J Little (Eng); J Donaldson (Wal);
72 - E Little (Sco); F Zanotti (Par); B Grace (Rsa); M Rodriguez (Arg); J Chevalier (Fra); L Richard (Bel); P Baker (Eng); S Edwards (Wal); N Vanhootegem (Bel); S Henderson (Sco); C Aronsen (Nor); J Dias (Por); J Mcleary (Sco); C Brazillier (Fra); C De Corral (Esp); R Gomez (Arg); M Dieu (Fra); A Constable (Wal); J Watt (Am) (Eng);
73 - M Urquhart (Sco); M Laskey (Wal); R D Steele (Eng); K Linnet Jorgensen (Den); L Jensen (Den); N Maestroni (Ita); D De Vooght (Bel)
73 - H Santos (Por); M Tottey (Wal);
74 - K Berger (Ger); B Howelett (Eng); S Manley (Wal); N Ferrari (Ger); D Lucas (Eng); M Wiegele (Aut); D Gaunt (Aus); H Paulino (Por)
75 - D Lord (Eng); A Wills (Am) (Eng);
76 - T Feyrsinger (Aut); M Hamer (Eng); J Robinson (Am) .
