Golf: Bland is anything but bland

South African John Bland who has been runner-up three times in the last four years in this £501,000 stg tournament has made a good start again.

He has finished at three-under-par 68 after beginning with an eagle three at the first hole. He was four-under after 17 but made bogey six at the last hole.

Bland shared the early lead at three-under with Denis Durnian, the Englishman who leads the Order of Merit.

Also at three under after 12 holes was Bernard Gallacher from Scotland while best of the Irish was Kenny Stevenson from Warrenpointy who was three-under after 12 but bogeyed the 13th and 14th holes to go back to one under par.

Paul Leonard is finished on 72 (one over) after dropping a shot at the last while Ray Kane carded 75 and Cork amateur Peter Cowley made 78.

Denis O’Sullivan, winner of two tournaments this season, started with two birdies but went to four over after 15 holes.

FIRST ROUND SCORES (Par 71):

68 - J Bland (SA), D Durnian (Eng),

69 - B Huggett (Eng), B Charles (NZ), N Sugai (Jpn), J Morgan (Eng),

70 - J Nicklaus (USA), M Gregson (Eng), A Croce (It),

71 - P Diniz (Bra), N Ratcliffe (Aus), S Owen (NZ), D Cambridge (Jam), D Stockton (USA),

72 - D Ojala (USA), I Aoki (Jpn),P Leonard (Ire), D McClean (USA), J Barnett (Eng),

73 - J Bruner (USA), J Fourie (SA), T Price (USA), P Dawson (Eng), N Swenson, jun Am (USA),

74 - J Traub (USA), V Somers (Aus), R Carrasco (USA), M Benbridge (Eng), E Itai (Jpn), H Twitty (USA), N Coles (Eng), T Horton (Eng), W Milne (Scot), J Bjornsson (Swe),

75 - Peter Townsend (Eng), E Sabo (USA), D Creamer (Eng), J Hirsch Am (USA), B Lendzion (USA), R Kane (Ire),

76 - P Baldwin Am (USA), L Laoretti (USA), H Schumacher (Swi), M Hooper (Eng),

77 - R Webster (Scot), P Ferranti (USA), M Miller (Scot), P Kaylor (USA), D Huish (Scot), J Estes Am (USA), B Lockie (Scot), C Evans (USA), L Farmer (Wales),

78 - J Dolan 111 (USA), M Sanchez (Sp),S Smith (USA), G MacDonald (Can), P Cowley Am (Ire), R Beer (Aus),

79 - J Carr (USA), A Kietzmann (SA), J Marks Am (Eng), P Ward (Eng), D Taki (Jpn), JM Miller Am (USA),

80 - R Peters (Scot), K Okaniwa (Jpn), D Simon (USA),

81 - J Dorrestein (Hol), G Moore (USA)

83 - K Forster Am (USA)

84 - H Gianetti Am (USA),