SUTTON COLDFIELD (England), May 8: Journeyman David Dixon mastered a spiteful Belfry course on Thursday to take an early three-stroke lead in the Benson and Hedges International Open first round.

While several big names struggled at the Ryder Cup venue, little-known 26-year-old Englishman Dixon’s six-under-par 66 with two eagles, took him three shots in front of Germany’s Tobias Dier and another Englishman, David Gilford.

In-form young South African Richard Sterne and two more Englishmen, Miles Tunnicliff and Ian Garbutt, were a further shot back.

Leader Dixon has had scant success since finishing top amateur at the 2001 British Open at Royal Lytham and St Annes.

But his two strikes for eagle, both with 15ft putts, have put him on course to better his best European Tour finish, tied 14th in this year’s Qatar Masters, in his first full season after making his card at the second attempt at qualifying school.

The burly Dixon is unabashed at only this year making his mark as a professional after a highly promising amateur career, that earned him the prestigious Lytham Trophy — also at Royal Lytham — and South African Amateur titles.

“Some guys can jump straight into the top flight but I’m quite happy with the way I’m progressing,” said Dixon. “I had a year on the Challenge Tour last year and learned a lot from that.

Meanwhile, Dixon’s management stablemate Darren Clarke, one of the pre-tournament favourites, foundered with a 77 which included a triple and double-bogey.

Victorious Ryder Cup captain Sam Torrance, who set up The Belfry course for the 2002 match, fared even worse with an 82 with a triple and three double bogeys.

Seve Ballesteros double-bogeyed his first hole, the 10th, on his way to a 79 which also included a triple bogey on the 12th.

He has been at loggerheads with Tour officials over the last week after he accused them of running the circuit like the “mafia”.

Leading scores

66 David Dixon

67 Padraig Harrington (Ireland)

68 Angel Cabrera (Argentina), Henrik Stenson (Sweden)

69 Tobias Dier (Germany), David Gilford, Stephen Leaney (Australia), Gordon Brand Jnr, Emanuele Canonica

70 Miles Tunnicliff, Ian Garbutt, Richard Sterne (South Africa), Marcel Siem (Germany), Ricardo Gonzalez (Argentina), Brian Davis, Andrew Coltart, Rolf Muntz (Netherlands)

71 Paul Casey, Warren Bennett, Henrik Bjornstad (Norway), Bernhard Langer (Germany), Peter O’Malley (Australia), Costantino Rocca (Italy), Martin Maritz (South Africa), Shaun Webster, Julien Clement (Switzerland), Roger Chapman, Jean-Francois Remesy (France), Paul Lawrie, Stephen Scahill (New Zealand), Arjun Atwal (India), Jorge Berendt (Argentina), Matthew Blackley, Jamie Elson, Peter Mitchell, Robert Rock.