Warren's form plummets

Scotland’s Marc Warren, winner of the Scandinavian Masters just four days ago, came down to earth with a bump in the KLM Open in Holland today.

Warren claimed his first European Tour title in fine style in Malmo, carding a closing 69 to force a play-off with local favourite Robert Karlsson which he won on the second extra hole.

That ensured the 25-year-old a high-profile pairing with Colin Montgomerie and Holland’s Robert-Jan Derksen in the opening two rounds in Zandvoort, but the former Walker Cup player got off to a nightmare start in blustery and overcast conditions and eventually signed for a 76.

Starting from the 10th, Warren dropped four shots in his first three holes and after stopping the rot with a birdie on the 16th, also bogeyed the 17th and 18th to reach the turn in 40.

Another bogey followed on the third before a birdie on the fifth left him five over par and 11 shots behind clubhouse leader Anders Hansen of Denmark.

“I feel totally unprepared,” admitted Warren, who holed the winning putt in the Walker Cup at Sea Island in 2001. “Last week took a lot out of me and I wasn’t really focused on this tournament until I got out on the course. It’s all a learning experience.

“I was four over after three holes but managed to come back a bit after that. It could have been a lot worse but I managed to hang in there and I was pleased with my temperament.”

In contrast Montgomerie was unhappy with his finish, the 43-year-old Scot dropping two shots in his last five holes after being three under par after eight.

The world number 15, who had reverted to a belly putter on his return to action following a two-week break after missing the cut in the Open at Hoylake, said: “I played very nicely all the way round but just didn’t hole enough putts on the way back. I’m very disappointed to finish with a bogey.”

Hansen’s six-under-par 65 was achieved despite a neck injury which forced him to pull out of Wednesday’s pro-am and meant the 35-year-old had not been able to test his new clubs on a course he had never played before.

“I woke up on Wednesday morning and couldn’t move my head,” explained Hansen, winner of the PGA Championship at Wentworth in 2002. “I wanted to play the pro-am because I’ve never played the course before so I had treatment from the physios but had to pull out.

“I’m still struggling today, and the wind and cold is not doing it any good, but I knew I was swinging the club well. I got away with the bad shots today and I putted very well, which was huge because it’s hard to knock it close in the wind.”

Hansen was joined at the top of the leaderboard by France’s Christian Cevaer who carded six birdies and no bogeys in his 65.