• Andalucia Masters, Round One

Garcia inconsistent as Ramsay tames Valderrama

Graeme McDowell splashes out of a greenside bunker © Getty Images

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The big names made a cautious start at the Andalucia Masters at Valderrama on Thursday, as everything came together for early leader Richie Ramsay.

Many of the most high profile players in the field struggled to pick up shots at the testing Sotogrande course - known in some quarters as the 'Augusta of Europe' - but Ramsay found matters on the first day very much to his liking, as the Scot had just one bogey on the way to a classy round of 65.

After picking up three shots on the front nine - one thanks to a fortuitous chip-in - the former US Amateur champion began the back nine with a birdie at the 10th before carding an eagle at the par-five 11th. Another birdie followed suit at the 15th, putting Ramsay in a position where even a bogey at the notoriously difficult 17th couldn't really sour a fine opening effort.

"Valderrama is the kind of course that suits me," Ramsay said. "It's a shot maker's course, you need to manoeuvre the ball right to left or left to right - sometimes you need the low shot or the high one - and I feel comfortable doing that.

"I started smiling when the wind started to get up on 11 because it helped me knock it on the green in two and I made eagle there and I knew that if I could finish well, particularly the last three holes which are tough, with the wind picking up, my score would be good. I was a bit unlucky on 17, but it's a tough hole.

"It's always nice to have a 65 around a classic course like Valderrama because it's had Ryder Cup and so many great champions - to shoot 65 on a golf course you love is always fantastic."

Ramsay will have to watch out for Ross Fisher, however, after the Englishman bounced back impressively from a triple-bogey at the eighth to record a fine round of 67.

Gregory Havret and Stephen Gallacher sit another shot further back at three-under, before the first of the big names arrives in the form of Sergio Garcia - who struggled with his game at points during his round but eventually birdied the last to dip under par with a round of 70.

After winning last week by an emphatic 11-shot margin at the Castello Masters, Garcia was hoping to contend again, and seemed to be on course to do so with two early birdies. But, having reached the turn at one under, his inward nine was an ode to inconsistency - with three bogeys, a double-bogey, three birdies and an eagle only serving to cancel each other out as he ultimately finished where he had started nine holes earlier.

However, that was still good enough to finish a shot ahead of compatriot Miguel Angel Jimenez and former US PGA champion Martin Kaymer, as well as Francesco Molinari after the Italian stumbled to a bogey at the 18th.

Justin Rose signed for a one-over round of 72 as he returned to European soil for a rare foray, a score that was matched by Graeme McDowell - who was left to rue an inconsistent game from tee-to-green that resulted in five bogeys.

On a high day for scoring at the tight, tree-lined course, there were also disappointing rounds from Alvaro Quiros (76), Matteo Manassero (77) and Edoardo Molinari (77).

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