FIRST ROUND LEADERBOARD GB&Ire unless stated (C denotes Carnoustie, K Kingsbarns, St A St Andrews) -5 David Howell (C), Rich Beem (US) (C), Alessandro Tadini (Ita) (C) -4 Kenneth Ferrie (K), Bradley Dredge (K), Keith Horne (SA) (K), Brett Rumford (Aus) (C), Nick O'Hern (Aus) (C), Sam Torrance (St A), Darren Clarke (C), Nick Dougherty (C), Brian Davis (C), Paul Casey (C) Full clubhouse scores

Howell, who has been in fine form since coming back from a two-month lay-off, fired a five-under-par 67 to be tied with Rich Beem and Alessandro Tadini.

Veteran Sam Torrance carded a brilliant four-under-par 68 to lie one shot back.

The 52-year-old Scot said: "I came here to win. I have huge aspirations because I am playing well."

Howell suffered an abdominal muscle injury during practice at the US Open in June, but won his third event back on Tour, has had four successive top-10 finishes and starred for the British and Irish team at the Seve Trophy last week.

"The injury was a real blow, but there's a silver lining to everything," said the 30-year-old Englishman, who carded his 67 at Carnoustie.

It was a perfect day to get Carnoustie out of the way and you kind of give a sigh of relief Rich Beem

"I'm swinging it better and have come back so much stronger."

Beem's round was in stark contrast to his last British visit, when he missed the cut at the Open with rounds of 74 and 79 and broke his putter in half.

The 2002 USPGA champion also played the tricky Carnoustie course and will be delighted to have improved upon the 80 and 81 he posted there in 1999.

The American said: "This is the second time I've played here since 1999 but last year when I played here I was still a little gun-shy coming back.

"It was a perfect day to get Carnoustie out of the way and you kind of give a sigh of relief."

Another player pleased to see the back of the famous links will be Jean Van de Velde.

The Frenchman famously triple-boged the 18th to lose the 1999 Open. His three-shot lead disappeared in the Barry Burn, forcing him into a play-off that he lost to Scotland's Paul Lawrie.

The swing has been good for a while Sam Torrance

Van de Velde found the same water again on Thursday. Sensibly, though, he took a drop, chipped on to the green and sank a 20-footer to escape with a bogey five for a round of 72.

He said: "It was a pure 'duff' shot [into the water], but I would have [settled for] the bogey six years ago."

Torrance, who recorded the best round of the day at St Andrews, considered himself unlucky not to be ahead overall.

"I hit a beautiful drive on the ninth and just hit the very top of the bunker. Same thing at the 11th," he said.

"They were my only two bogeys of the day.

"The swing has been good for a while and once you've got it in the slot you're comfortable and not scared of any shots."

The tournament, which has a celebrity pro-am competition as well as the main professional matchplay event, is played over three courses - Carnoustie, Kingsbarns and St Andrews.