R1 LEADERBOARD GB & Ire unless stated -7 D Howell -6 M Siem (Ger), E Canonica (Ita) -5 C Cevaer (Fra), S O'Hara, C Montgomerie -4 J Moseley (Aus), M Ilonen (Fin), N Sato (Jpn), D Carter, R Karlsson (Swe), G Murphy

The Scot has recently fallen out of the world's top 50 and will need to qualify for this year's Open at Troon.

But he shot a bogey-free five-under-par round of 67 and was two shots behind first-round leader David Howell.

Howell had a back nine of 31 in his 65 and is one ahead of Emanuele Canonica and Marcel Siem while Christian Cevaer and Steven O'Hara are also on 67.

Defending champion Ian Poulter could only manage a 71, the same score as Ian Woosnam, while Lee Westwood recorded a 73.

And Frenchman Cevaer was fined �4,000 for slow play during his five-under-par first round of 67.

He was told by senior referee Andy McFee he had been fined for taking too long over his second shot at the 13th and the normal fine of �2,000 was doubled as it is the second time Cevaer has been accused of slow play this season.

I actually felt quite competitive out there Colin Montgomerie

Montgomerie was please with a bogey-free round and said: "It is the first in a while and I was delighted because I have always prided myself that it was the mistakes I didn't make that won tournaments, not the birdies I made.

"That was the key and I actually felt quite competitive out there, which is a good sign.

"When you see your name on the leaderboard, it gets your competitive juices flowing. It hasn't happened in a while."

Leader Howell said his performance reflected the improvement in his game which has produced three top-three finishes this season.

"The last 18 months I have moved up a gear," he said.

"I haven't won in that time but the consistency has been on a completely different level and when I've been fit I put in a good performance."