LEADERBOARD -8 T Bjorn (Den) -7 N Faldo (Eng) -6 S Gardiner (Aus), I Poulter (Eng), J Moseley (Aus)

The 46-year-old trailed Thomas Bjorn by one shot as he attempts to break back into Europe's Ryder Cup team.

The six-time major winner beat playing partner and defending champion Ernie Els by five shots.

"I don't think I was expecting that, but Ernie's early putting brought me to life," said Faldo.

Faldo, whose bag sported the words "Ignite" and "Get hot", last won a solo event at the Nissan Open on the US Tour in 1997, the same year as he made his last Ryder Cup appearance in Valderrama.

He wants to extend his record number of Ryder Cup caps to 12 this September but is currently outside the top 50 in the points race.

"Nothing has happened so far and I've got all the hard work to do now," said Faldo.

"To do it I've got to do some really good stuff - as simple as that."

I rarely play well after a long break Leader Thomas Bjorn

Faldo's first task is to improve on his world ranking - he was 81st in the world before this event - in order to qualify for the Accenture Match Play championship in California next month.

He needs to get inside the top 64 to have a shot at the $1m (�555,555) first prize and the corresponding Ryder Cup points.

"You've got to get into those big ones," added Faldo.

Bjorn, who like Faldo was making his first appearance for over a month, made his move after lunch.

The Dane scorched to the turn in 30 and held his round together coming home for a 64.

"I rarely play well after a long break," said Bjorn, who squandered a three-shot lead with four holes to play in the 2003 Open.

"But I'm really happy that the hard work I did in the winter has got me off to such a wonderful start."