• Madrid Masters, Round One

Molinari outshines Donald in Madrid

Luke Donald was left to rue finding water at the 18th © Getty Images

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World No. 1 Luke Donald was overshadowed on day one of the Madrid Masters as Edoardo Molinari produced a faultless round to edge their battle at El Encin Golf Hotel.

Molinari was struggling to made inroads early on in his round, parring his first eight holes in a largely frustrating front nine. However, a birdie just before the turn gave the Italian fresh impetus and he headed to his 10th hole with a spring in his step.

An eagle at the first, his 10th, kept the momentum going and his putter did him proud as he picked up a further three shots to finish with a bogey-free 66, leaving him on six-under for the tournament.

Playing partner Donald began brightly enough, rolling in consecutive birdies, but a bogey at the 12th checked his progress. A bogey-six at the par-five 18th, that saw the 33-year-old fail to save par after finding water with his second shot, showed he was struggling with his consistency but the Englishman put that disappointment behind him to finish strongly. Three birdies put his round back on track and he will be buoyed by the fact he found 15 greens in regulation. If his putter warms up, Donald could improve on his four-under 68, which has left him only two shots adrift of Molinari.

With his companions in fine form, Alvaro Quiros, who completed the trio, produced an encouraging round too. The Spaniard made a sparkling 67 to move into a tie for third and, if he can eradicate the errors that saw him make two bogeys, he will be among the contenders.

At the end of the day it was Ross McGowan who held the lead, the Englishman firing an eight-under par round of 64 to take a one-shot advantage over Brett Rumford, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano and Lorenzo Gagli.

A few more good rounds would be just the tonic for McGowan, who currently finds himself some way outside the top 125 on the European Tour money list.

Spain's Eduardo De La Riva had led for a time, the 29-year-old, who has never had a top-ten finish on the European Tour, fired in a hat-trick of birdies during his round en route to a promising 67. Elsewhere, Steve Webster savoured a tremendous back nine, rolling in five birdies for 31 strokes. It was a pity his earlier efforts did not quite match up - his front nine was marred by two bogeys - but he is in an enviable position on five-under after a 67.

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