Bjorn birdie blitz after slow start

Thomas Bjorn recovered from a slow start to the defence of his BMW International Open title in Munich on Thursday.

Bjorn won the event for the second time in three years 12 months ago with a total of 264, 24 under par, while John Daly was 27 under when he won in 2001.

That looked a long way off when the Dane began with eight straight pars on Thursday morning at Nord-Eichenried, but the 32-year-old finally found his range around the turn to move up the leaderboard.

Having started at the 10th, Bjorn’s first birdie came from two feet on the par five 18th and sparked the Open runner-up into life.

Three more followed in quick succession from the second, and at four under par Bjorn was into the top 10, albeit four shots off the lead as the low scoring usually associated with this event continued.

Germany’s Marcel Siem led the way at eight under par with two holes to play, with another local favourite, Alex Cejka, delighting the large crowds by outscoring playing partners Ernie Els and Daly.

Cejka had opened with a bogey but made three birdies in a row from the 11th and after also picking up a shot on the 16th chipped in from 20 yards on the 18th for an eagle to delight the large crowd following his match.

Els made a routine birdie, two-putting from 45ft, to be out in one under, while Daly made a typically adventurous par.

The former Open champion hit a wild second shot which narrowly missed the giant television screen erected short of the green and ended up near the 11th green.

From there he faced a near impossible pitch over a pond and bunker to the green, but after finding sand he splashed out to two feet to save par.

Els had been looking forward to playing a much easier course after two weeks of “hard grind” at the US PGA Championship and NEC Invitational, and the world number two recovered from a bogey at the first with three birdies in a row from the third to improve to three under.

Seve Ballesteros, making his first appearance for almost four months was among the later starters along with Ryder Cup captain Bernhard Langer, runner-up to Bjorn last year.

Ballesteros has not played on tour since missing the cut in the Benson and Hedges International in May.

The 46-year-old was last seen later that month when he pulled out of the Volvo PGA Championship at Wentworth citing the ’flu, the day after he had been fined and severely reprimanded by the tour for his conduct at the Italian Open.

The five-time Major winner was disqualified for signing for an incorrect score after refusing to accept a one-stroke penalty for slow play and altering his card.

He then accused the European Tour ‘mafia’ of waging ‘a war’ against him, alleging officials were out to get him because of his membership of the so-called ‘Gang of Four’ who complained about how the tour was being run.

Siem parred the last two holes to record a 64 and set the early target but Bjorn made it five birdies in six holes on the sixth and seventh to close to within two shots.

Cejka’s charge came to a halt however when the German, fourth in the US PGA at Oak Hill, ran up a double-bogey seven on the sixth to drop back to four under.

8 under - Marcel Siem (Ger) (after 18 holes)

Thomas Bjorn (Den) (18)

6 under – Fredrik Andersson (Swe) (18)

Martin Maritz (Rsa) (18)

Ian Poulter (18)

5 under – Steen Tinning (Den) (18)

Terry Price (Aus) (18)

Stephen Gallacher (17)

Gary Evans (17)

Selected others:

4 under – Ernie Els (Rsa) (17)

2 under – John Daly (USA) (17)