Golf: Seve is surprise leader

Seve Ballesteros today moved into a shock early lead in the first round of the Madeira Island Open.

The five-time major winner’s game has been in apparent terminal decline for years, his last tournament victory coming in 1995.

The 44-year-old made the halfway cut just three times in the whole of last season, enjoying his best finish in Madeira when he claimed a share of 47th place.

He continued to enjoy the Santo da Serra course, perched 2,300feet above sea level, by making a long overdue return to the top of the leaderboard.

Birdies at the third, fifth and sixth took the Spanish legend out in 33 three under par and an excellent score in conditions made testing by a blustery wind.

That was good enough for a one-shot lead over the field, with defending champion Des Smyth among the chasing pack.

Smyth became the oldest-ever winner on the European Tour with his victory 12 months ago when, aged 48 years and 34 days, he surpassed the previous record of 48 years and 14 days set by Neil Coles in winning the 1982 Sanyo Open.

It sparked a memorable season for the 49-year-old from Drogheda, who went on to finish 13th in the Open at Royal Lytham and represent the Rest of the World against the United States in the inaugural UBS Warburg Cup at Kiawah Island in November when he won all three of his matches.

Playing alongside Ballesteros, Smyth opened with a bogey five but birdied his next two holes and after another bogey on the seventh he repeated the trick on the eight and ninth to be out in 34.

Smyth was part of a four-strong group in second alongside Australian Peter Fowler, Swede Henrik Stenson and France’s Olivier David.

Madeira Leaderboard

3 under - Seve Ballesteros (Spa) (9)

Henrik Stenson (Swe) (12)

2 under - Peter Fowler (Aus) (12)

Olivier David (Fra) (6)

Des Smyth (9)

1 under - Andrew Sherborne (9)

John Bickerton (12)

Roger Winchester (9)

Andrew Oldcorn (12)

Neil Cheetham (15)

Alberto Binaghi (Ita) (12)

Selected others:

1 over - Steve Webster (9)