England’s Paul Broadhurst equalled the course record of 65, seven under par, at Barsebäck to take a two-shot in the Volvo Scandinavian Masters after a round that included eight birdies.
Broadhurst, whose last victory was in the 1995 Open de France, leads by two from the Scots duo of Colin Montgomerie and Dean Robertson.
Broadhurst equalled the course record, held by Tony Johnstone and Vijay Singh, with four birdies on each nine and just the one bogey on the par five 16th.
Montgomerie, whose lead at the top of the Volvo Order of Merit is down to less than 18,000 euro after Westwood’s back-to-back victories, shot an opening 67, seven under, as he chases a personal best of four victories in a season.
Montgomerie started with a two birdies and despite dropping a shot on the fourth, bounced back with another pair of birdies on the eighth and ninth for an outward half of 32. Three more birdies and a bogey brought the Volvo PGA Champion home in 35 for a round of 67.
Dean Robertson, who claimed his maiden European Tour victory earlier in the season in Italy, also shot a 67 to lie two off the pace.
Italy’s Costantino Rocca kept his faint Ryder Cup hopes alive with a round of 68, four under, to join the group that includes Australian Jarrod Moseley, winner of the Heineken Classic.
Jesper Parnevik opened his defence of the title with a round of 69, three under, but it was another Swede Patrik Sjoland who produced one of the shots of the day when he scored an ace on the 170-yards eighth hole to win a £25,000 car from the sponsors. It was the 14th hole-in-one on the European Tour this year. The other great shot came for Australia’s Rodger Davis when he holed his five-wood second shot on the 547-yards par five 16th for the second albatross on the European Tout this season.
