Waring off to good start in Seville

Former English amateur champion Paul Waring lapped up the perfect early conditions when the Spanish Open began in Seville today.

After birdies at the first three holes the 25-year-old from Birkenhead, yet to record a top-five finish on the European Tour after earning his card at the 2007 qualifying school, eagled the 514-yard fifth.

At five under par he was two in front of Swede Christian Nilsson, who birdied three of the first four holes on the back nine.

Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie, without a top 10 finish since he was runner-up in the French Open in June 2008, set off with five pars, saving his three at the short 11th by splashing out of a greenside bunker to within three feet of the pin.

Behind Montgomerie were the winners of the last two tournaments on the Read Club course, but Dane Soren Kjeldsen three-putted the 10th and 12th and Dubliner Peter Lawrie pushed his opening drive into the trees and dropped a stroke there as well.

Miguel Angel Jimenez, the third member of the group, was distracted by a scoreboard operator on the 11th tee and after a complete mishit ran up a double-bogey five.