Rose stumbles after great start

Justin Rose was happy to be able to start the Portugal Masters in Vilamoura today – but not so happy when one loose shot undid the perfect start.

Needing to finish first or second to go top of the European Order of Merit, Rose suffered a recurrence of back trouble last weekend and pulled out of Wednesday’s pro-am.

But on teeing off at 9am all seemed well when he sank a 14-foot putt on the 10th green and then pitched to within four feet at the next for another birdie.

However, Rose hooked into the lake with his drive down the long 12th, only just made it over the water short of the green with his fourth stroke and walked off with a double bogey seven.

Back to level par as a result, Rose was four behind the three early pacesetters - fellow Englishman Phillip Archer, German Martin Kaymer and Italian Francesco Molinari.

Playing just in front of Rose was British Masters champion Lee Westwood and he was two under thanks to an approach to three feet at the 10th and then a chip to within inches of the cup on the 12th.

Rory McIlroy, the 18-year-old from Northern Ireland who has secured a European Tour card for next season by finishing third and fourth in his second and third professional starts, was among the later starters, as were Darren Clarke and Alfred Dunhill Links winner Nick Dougherty.

Low scoring was expected given the ideal weather conditions at the same venue where the final round of the 2005 World Cup was totally washed out.

Welsh pair Bradley Dredge and Stephen Dodd were left as the winners then and they had both made a return to the Oceanico Victoria Club. Dredge, playing with Westwood, was also two under, while Dodd opened with two pars.