• Italian Open, Round One

Rock and Wood in front as Manassero starts well

Matteo Manassero started well on home soil © Getty Images

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Leaderboard

Chris Wood and Robert Rock ensured there was a very English look to the clubhouse leaderboard at the Italian Open, after both men carded eight-under par opening rounds of 64 on Thursday.

The two men were paired together as they started their day on the tenth, but it was Wood's round that was arguably the more spectacular - the 23-year-old opened slowly with eight straight pars but closed with six birdies and an eagle over his final ten holes to shoot through the field.

Rock opened with two straight birdies and was three-under after six, before a bogey upset his progress. But he closed his round with five consecutive birdies to come home in 30 shots and join Wood (who went one better over the same stretch, needing just 29) atop the leaderboard.

"I holed quite a lot of putts today, which is something that has been testing me over the last couple of months," Rock said. "Tee to green my game has been good. Driving the ball well for a long time and my iron play has been okay. My short game hasn't been so hot.

"I've been trying a lot of things and speaking to everyone to try and find something that will make a bit of improvement, so thank you to everyone who has helped!"

Scott Jamieson added a Scottish flavour to proceedings with a 65 - with just the solitary blemish on the card on the ninth hole in a round that also contained an eagle at the 11th. Thorbjorn Olesen and Rafael Cabrera-Bello also positioned themselves on the leaders' shoulders, but all eyes at Royal Park I Roveri will remain on home favourite Matteo Manassero, who was another to profit from the inviting 11th on the way to a 66 that leaves him only two shots off the early front-runners.

Manassero made his first appearance as a professional in the same tournament last year, and is looking to follow in the footsteps of 2006 champion Francesco Molinari and win his home open.

To do so he may yet need to beat Molinari, however, after the Italian equalled his opening 66. Rhys Davies was also at the mark, while Gregory Bourdy continued his good form despite a slow start to the day.

Richie Ramsay, who is still waiting anxiously to hear if he will get into the field for next week's US Open at Congressional CC as an alternate, is well placed at five-under, while David Horsey also enjoyed a solid opening round 68.

Darren Clarke began with a 71, but others were not so fortunate - Colin Montgomerie has work to do after a lacklustre 73, while Bradley Dredge was even worse off after a 77.

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