Garcia starts strongly

Sergio Garcia, seeking a second successive win and with it a place in next week’s world championship, remained in joint fifth place after seven holes of his second round in the Andalucia Masters at Valderrama.

With overnight leader Richie Ramsay among the later starters, Garcia made the perfect start with an opening birdie, but returned to one under par – five behind – with a bogey on the short sixth.

Playing partner Justin Rose birdied the first two holes before slipping back to level par, good enough for joint eighth place, by taking five at the 497-yard par four seventh.

On six under following a brilliant 65 Ramsay led by two from England’s Ross Fisher, another of the afternoon starters.