• European Masters, Round One

McIlroy and Kaymer quick out of the blocks

Rory McIlroy scored well on Thursday © Getty Images

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Leaderboard

Rory McIlroy and Martin Kaymer wasted no time in getting their Ryder Cup qualification campaigns off to a promising start at the European Masters in Switzerland.

The two major winners, currently No. 5 and No. 6 in the world rankings, made the most of early tee times at Crans-sur-Sierre to card matching rounds of 65, leaving them two off the top at six-under.

Kaymer, playing just ahead of his Northern Irish rival after both started their rounds on the 10th, was three under through six holes, before a bogey on the 16th temporarily derailed his progress. But he rallied to record back-to-back birdies on his ninth and tenth holes - repeating the feat over the final two holes of his round to sign for a total of 65.

US Open champion McIlroy had a less eventful start, finding two birdies along with seven pars, but sparked into life on the easier front side in Crans Montana. Four birdies between the second and sixth (his 11th and 15th) were blotted slightly by a clumsy dropped shot at the fourth, but he made sure to take advantage of the par-five ninth to procure a birdie four that ensured he matched Kaymer's total.

The tournament has a shock leader: England's Nick Dougherty, who arrived having missed 21 successive cuts. But the world No. 791 looked reborn as he plundered a bogey-free 63 that he hopes has marked a turning point in his career.

"It feels great. I haven't had a lot to be happy about, so it's been tough coming home and having to deal with constant disappointment," Dougherty told his wife Di, who was interviewing him for Sky Sports. "Today was more like it should be."

Lee Westwood and Darren Clarke are both four off Dougherty, with Westwood failing to capitalise on a round that featured two early eagles. He was poised to end the day within touching distance of the top, but closed with three bogeys in the final six holes.

Defending champion Miguel Angel Jimenez made a solid start with a one-under par round of 70, putting himself in a group that also includes former Open champion Louis Oosthuizen, Matteo Manassero and Francesco Molinari.

The European Masters is the first tournament in qualifying for next year's European Ryder Cup team, which will take on the United States at Medinah in September.

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