Kapur, Randhawa make good starts

Shiv Kapur and Jyoti Randhawa made satisfying starts to their campaign at the Quinn Direct British Masters golf tournament with identical cards of two-under 70, that placed them tied 24th at the end of the first round at the De Vere Belfry.

Kapur is making his first appearance in a European Tour event in Europe, while Randhawa is playing after a gap of seven weeks.

Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke shot a six-under 66 to share the lead after the first round with Peter Hanson.

Clarke's round included six birdies, an eagle and two bogeys. Making good use of the conditions, Paul Casey and Jarmo Sandelin were lying tied third at 67 each.

For Sandelin, it was a welcome change after losing his card in 2005. He shared third spot with US Open champion Michael Campbell.

Kapur and Randhawa fired four birdies and two bogeys each and were four shots behind the leader. Kapur, currently 13th on the Asian Tour's UBS Order of Merit and playing on a sponsor's invite this week, opened with a hat-trick of birdies. His first blemish came on the par-four sixth, where he dropped a shot.

Kapur dropped another on the 16th, but picked up a birdie on the par-five 17th to end with a 70.

Randhawa started on the 10th and, with a birdie and a bogey on back stretch of the course, was at even par. On the second nine, he birdied the first, fifth and sixth, while dropping a shot on the second for a 34 and a total of 70.

Casey's goal is to try and break into top 50 in the world rankings as he wants to make the field for the US Open.

Mardan Mamat, who became the first Singaporean to win a European Tour event at the OSOM Singapore Masters earlier this season, started his campaign with a 74 which included a triple bogey seven.

It was his first start in Europe since gaining a two-year exemption. It left him in tied 105th position, but it wasn't the worst as Ryder Cup stars such as Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley shot 75s.