CRANS-MONTANA (Switzerland), Sept 6: Robert Karlsson’s mastery of the much-criticised Crans sur Sierre greens earned the tall Swede a one-shot lead in the European Masters opening round Thursday.

Karlsson used only 24 putts on his way to a nine-birdie, six-under-par, 65 to lead by a stroke from six-times major champion Nick Faldo, 1999 British Open Champion Paul Lawrie and

compatriot Mathias Gronberg, European Masters winner in 1995.

Four birdies in the last five holes boosted Karlsson’s score and he ended with a flourish, holing from 20 feet to move clear of the field after Lawrie bogeyed the last to deny himself a place on top of the leaderboard with Karlsson.

Leading first round scores 65 Robert Karlsson (Sweden) 66 Nick Faldo, Paul Lawrie, Mathias Gronberg (Sweden) 67 Carl Pettersson (Sweden), Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spain), David Park, Brett Rumford (Australia), Alex Cejka (Germany)

68 Emanuele Canonica (Italy), Klas Eriksson (Sweden), Mark Foster, Brian Davis, Paul Casey, Stephen Leaney (Australia), Gary Orr, Fredrik Andersson (Sweden)

69 Olle Karlsson (Sweden), Thomas Levet (France), Patrik Sjoland (Sweden), Christophe Pottier (France), Jamie Donaldson, Phillip Price, Henrik Bjornstad (Norway), Thomas Bjorn (Denmark), Simon Dyson,

70 David Carter, Stuart Little, Ernie Els (South Africa), Gordon Brand Jnr, Peter Hanson (Sweden), Trevor Immelman (South Africa), Kevin Stadler (U.S.), Marc Chatelain (Switzerland), Santiago Luna (Spain), Ian Garbutt, Marc Farry (France), Robert-Jan Derksen (Netherlands), Scott Gardiner (Australia), Jean Hugo (South Africa), Barry Lane, Carlos Rodiles (Spain), Retief Goosen (South Africa), Ian Poulter, Andrew Coltart, Raphael Jacquelin (France), David Drysdale, Peter Fowler (Australia)—Reuters