Low scores galore in the Algarve

Scotland's Raymond Russell and Sweden's Klas Eriksson equalled the course record at Penina as the battle for the Algarve Open de Portugal hotted up today.

Eriksson, in the third match out this morning, carded six birdies and an eagle on the 18th to record a seven-under-par 65, matching the mark set by Phillip Price and Brian Davis the last time the event was staged here in 2000.

And just over an hour later Russell came in with the same score courtesy of seven birdies and no bogeys to take over from the Swede as leader in the clubhouse on nine under par.

He was not alone for long however as the players took advantage of perfect conditions and a course which, at 6,798 yards, is around 400 yards shorter than the modern average.

Welshman David Park birdied the final two holes for a 66 to join Russell, as did Surrey's Andrew Raitt after a 67.

And there were another eight players on nine under out on the course, all chasing the leader, Spain's Ignacio Garrido.

Garrido had started the day one shot behind compatriot Miguel Angel Jimenez but picked up birdies at the seventh, 10th and 11th to edge two clear of the chasing pack.

Meanwhile Raitt, who is contemplating quitting the game at the end of the season, admitted he now had to consider himself a contender for the title.

But even the €211,700 first prize would not "touch the surface" of his money problems after the ruinous expense of legal action against the owner of the dog which bit off part of his little finger in 1995.

Raitt was walking his dog at his home club of St George's Hill in Weybridge when it was attacked by an Alsatian named Zomba. When he tried to separate the dogs, Zomba bit the tip of his left little finger, leaving it shorter by half a centimetre and lacking in sensation.

The 34-year-old told High Court judge Sir Ian Kennedy it forced him to change his grip and his play had suffered as a result, but the judge said he was "not persuaded that there has been anything other than an imperceptible movement of his grip" and that this "has had no impact on his ability as a player".

Raitt was therefore awarded just £4,900 (€7,500) damages in December 2002 - less than he had been offered out of court - and after an unsuccessful appeal last year has been left with a legal bill approaching £400,000 (€609,300).

"I'd like to think I have a chance," he said.

"But today I got the best out of my round. I didn't play that well but I took all the chances I had.

"I changed my putter a couple of weeks and I putted nicely today. That made a big difference and if I keep putting well you never know."

Russell has just one European Tour title to his name, the 1996 Cannes Open, but carded a flawless round after clearing his head of swing thoughts.

"I had a lesson with Bob Torrance on Tuesday and it worked fine on the range, but I can't carry it onto the course," said the 31-year-old from Edinburgh.

"So today I decided to clear my head of theory and go with balance and rhythm and it worked."