VALDERRAMA, Spain (AFP) - Hometown hero Sergio Garcia snatched a share of the first round lead in the Volvo Masters with an opening round four-under 67.
The 24-year-old played near-flawless golf in the tricky conditions, the swirling winds making it difficult to judge club selection.
Garcia only dropped one shot, a bogey at the par-three third when he failed to get up and down from behind the green.
Jose Manuel Lara, who was stung by a bee in the middle of his round, made it an all-Spanish affair atop the leaderboard with his four-under 67.
Garcia, winner of the Mallorca Open two weeks ago, was delighted with his showing.
"There were a lot of good shots out there," said Garcia. "It was a tough day, with the wind. It wasn't easy to play. Par was somewhere around 73 today in those conditions."
The Spaniard said the tougher the course, the happier he was.
"If you are striking the ball well and you shoot par or one-under you are always in with a chance. You don't feel that you have to make every putt," he said.
"The tougher the course the better. That is why I like the Majors."
Garcia could have been at least two shots better, missing birdie chances on the closing two holes.
"It was a pity I missed them but I made some nice putts," he said.
But if Garcia was mastering the conditions his Ryder Cup teammates were not having such a good day.
All 12 of the European team are competing this week but few of them were able to finish the day in red figures.
Ireland's Paul McGinley, who sank the winning putt two years ago at the Belfry, ballooned to a five-over 76.
Colin Montgomerie, who sank the winning putt at Oakland Hills last month, shot a four-over 75.
"I just couldn't get the ball to the hole. Perhaps the rain has made the greens slower," said Montgomerie, the only player in the exclusive 54 strong field to have won at Valderrama.
Lara said the bee sting on his foot was the kick start he needed.
"On the fifth hole I was stung and a doctor came on and gave me some cream but it must have been good for me because I started making some birdies," he laughed.
"I played with a bad cold and the sting. Maybe that let me play with a little less pressure."
Luke Donald, a wildcard pick in Europe's Ryder Cup team, finished two-under thanks to a stunning inward nine.
The Englishman, who has vowed that he will play more in Europe next season, came home with a four-under 32.
Ryder Cup teammate Ian Poulter looked to be playing himself out of contention when he dropped three shots in the first nine holes but a three-under 33 on the back nine left him a level par and firmly in contention.
10/28/2004 - 15:33 GMT - AFP