England’s Benn Barham hopes to follow in the footsteps of Paul Broadhurst in the Italian Open in Milan this week.

Sergio Garcia and his artful lodger Luke Donald both began the Ryder Cup qualifying campaign with five under par rounds of 66 in Switzerland today.

ENGLAND’S Benn Barham equalled the lowest round of his 10 year professional career with an eight under par 63 to establish a two stroke lead over Frenchman David Dupart after the first round of the Open Mahou de Madrid on the European Challenge Tour at La Herreria Club de Golf.