Dredge happy with Open lead

Welsh World Cup player Bradley Dredge shared the lead following the first round of the Volvo China Open yesterday - after not knowing he would even be allowed into the country until Tuesday night.

Dredge flew to Hong Kong without a Chinese visa and spent nine hours at the airport there while the matter was resolved and he was able to travel on to Shanghai.

While other players struggled with jetlag, Dredge chipped in for an eagle at the long 14th and had five birdies in a five-under-par 67 at Shanghai Silport to share top spot with Australian Unho Park.

They finished the day a stroke ahead of Dredge's fellow Welshman Stephen Dodd, English pair Barry Lane and Matthew King, Australian Jason Dawes, Indian Amandeep Johl and Zimbabwe's Marc Cayeux. All of them had the benefit of the calmer afternoon conditions.