McGinley among early leaders in Madrid

Ryder Cup star Paul McGinley has set about trying to avoid his worst finish on the European tour Order of Merit for a decade.

While fellow Dubliner Padraig Harrington and South African Retief Goosen waited to resume their battle for the number one position, McGinley was among the early leaders in the Madrid Open at Club de Campo.

Starting on the 10th hole, five pars and a birdie at the 467-yard 13th was good enough to put the 35-year-old one behind Austrian Markus Brier and two behind Trevor Immelman.

McGinley was 92nd on the Order of Merit in his rookie year in 1992, but since then has never been lower than 52nd and last season was a best-ever eighth. So far this year he has earned less than a third of that amount.