R1 LEADERBOARD -4 Paul Broadhurst (GB), Matthew Blackey (GB), Andrew Oldcorn (GB), Nobuhito Sato (Jpn), Pierre Fulke (Swe), Martin Wiegele (Aut) -3 Mark Foster (GB), Jarno Sandelin (Swe), Ian Woosnam (GB), Rolf Muntz (Neth), Steven O'Hara (GB), Brian Davis (GB), Peter Hanson (Swe), Terry Price (Aus) Full clubhouse scores

The trio are joined on four under by Sweden's Pierre Fulke, Japan's Nobuhito Sato and Martin Wiegele of Austria.

One shot further back are eight more players, including British quartet Brian Davis, Mark Foster, Steven O'Hara and Ian Woosnam.

Only 14 players broke 70 on a testing opening day at the Doha Golf Club.

Broadhurst and Oldcorn are playing only their second events of the season, former Ryder Cup player Broadhurst because of an elbow injury and Oldcorn because a family illness kept him in Edinburgh.

Broadhurst needed clearance from the R&A, golf's governing body, to wear strapping on his arm - the Warwickshire golfer thought it might be construed as an aid - and birdied the last three holes to join Oldcorn and Blackey.

All three started at 0625 local time, with Blackey fastest off the blocks with five birdies in his first eight holes.

Van de Velde fightback

Ireland's Paul McGinley - runner-up to Mark O'Meara in Dubai last week - stood three under with six to go but bogeyed three of them for a 72, the same as Sandy Lyle, needing invitations now after losing his Tour card last year.

Londoner Brian Davis, at 50th in the world the highest-ranked player taking part, birdied two of the last three for a 69 to remain on course for securing an invite to next month's Masters.

Jean van de Velde, needing good finishes in his next two events to keep his Tour exemption following more knee surgery, fought back from an early triple-bogey to card a 73.

Leeds-born 15-year-old Chris Hughes played in the event after winning the Qatar amateur title - his father works in the gas industry - but managed only a 78.