England’s Greg Owen rattled off seven birdies on his way to equalling the record of 66 for the redesigned Brabazon Course The De Vere Belfry and establishing a one stroke lead after the first round of the Benson and Hedges International Open.
The 30 year old from Mansfield, who has still to win on The European Tour but has occupied several positions near the head of affairs in recent seasons, leads by a shot from Welshman Ian Woosnam, who enjoyed a stroke of outrageous fortune at the first hole, sinking his second shot for an eagle two before carding a round of 67.
Woosnam, winner of the Lawrence Batley tournament at the same venue 16 years ago, is in turn one ahead of three players, England’s David Carter and Anthony Wall and Angel Cabrera of Argentina, with two-time Major Champion Sandy Lyle in a group of five players tied for sixth on 69.
Owen was propelled into the spotlight at last year’s Open Championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes, when he led the event after 35 holes and holed his second shot for an albatross at the 11th hole during the third round.
Starting at the tenth, Owen birdied the 13th, 15th and 16th before making a blistering start to his back nine, the front nine over the immaculate Brabazon Course, by picking up birdies at each of the first three holes. His only error of the day came at the sixth but hit back with another bidie on the eighth to edge in front of Woosnam.
Then he got in his car for an hour to drive home to sleep in his own bed, even though it meant leaving at 6am to be back in time to resume.
"It's great" said Owen, who has had two recent third place finishes. "I know a lot of players say they think a win is just round the corner, but I feel I'm a more complete player than I was in the Open and think that experience will hold me in good stead."
Woosnam, helped by an inspirational start, when he holed his seven iron second from 140 yards at the first for an eagle two, had birdies at the sixth, tenth and 14th offset by bogeys at the seventh and 13th.
However he finished in style with a pair of birdies to climb within one stroke of Owen.
Woosnam shrugged off an aching back and a touch of flu to make his presence felt.
Vice-Captain to Sam Torrance when the Americans defend The Ryder Cup on the Midlands course, the 44 year old showed the type of form which the European team will require at The De Vere Belfry in September.
Woosnam, of course, would have been in the side himself but for the illegal 15th club in his bag on the final day of the Open Championship last year.
"Yes, I could have been Open Champion, been in the team and earned millions," he said when reminded of the incident.
"But I've forgotten it and I would ask you to."
Third in the French Open on Sunday, when he finished with an eagle, he commented: "I've made a few changes in my posture and haven't felt this good in my swing in a long time.
"I've also gone back to a short putter. It broke my heart to use a long one - I didn't feel I was playing the game right.
"What the adjustments also do, though, is hurt my back. It's like trying to open a rusty gate."
Carter, a World Cup winner with Nick Faldo in 1998, asked his Swedish girlfriend to follow the example of Fanny Sunesson and become his caddie and he opened with a four under par 68. Carter has not won since teaming up with Faldo in New Zealand and has not led a tournament for nearly two years.
His girlfriend, Tesese Jacobson, is the brother of European Tour player, Freddie, and plays to a handicap of seven. He added: "I saw with Nick and Fanny at the World Cup that a man and a woman working together can be good. They are a lot calmer!
"I wouldn't do it if she didn't have a clue about golf, but she used to caddie for Freddie and has a great understanding." After bogeying the first he did not make another mistake, turning in 35 and then picking up further strokes on the tenth, 16th and 17th.
Defending champion Henrik Stenson of Sweden began with a one over par 73 while Dubliner Paul McGinley started with a double bogey six at the tenth, burying his pitch in a greenside bunker, and shot 74, the same as Darren Clarke and José Maria Olazábal, winner two years ago.
