NEWPORT, Wales -- Veteran David Frost shot a 5-under 66 Thursday to share the first-round lead in the Celtic Manor Wales Open with Thomas Bjorn, Nick Dougherty and Alan Mclean.

The 49-year-old South African birdied four holes out of five in the middle of his round and collected another at the last.

Bjorn birdied three holes in succession from the 14th and also the last for his 66, while Dougherty pitched brilliantly to 2 feet from an awkward position off the final green for a birdie.

A stroke behind were Pablo Larrazabal -- who had a hole-in-one -- Taco Remkes and Fabrizio Zanotti.

Both captains for next year's Ryder Cup were on the 2010 Course at Celtic Manor, with Colin Montgomerie shooting a 69 and Corey Pavin a 72.

Frost, who will play on the Champions Tour in the fall, is not a long-ball hitter.

"I have to rely on my short game and when a golf course comes along which suits me, the short game definitely helps," he said. "You try and play strategic golf, chess golf, out here."

McGinley and Bjorn -- high on Montgomerie's wanted list as Ryder Cup vice-captains -- would love nothing more than to force him into finding someone else. And on Thursday's evidence, the two still have it in their power to qualify for the side.

Bjorn, outscoring American captain and playing partner Pavin by six. McGinley, meanwhile, hit back from a triple-bogey 7on his second hole en route to his 68.

"If I don't make the team I am happy to help, but if I am then I will obviously play," said 38-year-old Bjorn, whose last appearance was in the 2002 victory at The Belfry.

McGinley was the match-winner that week and was also part of the victorious next two teams, but missed out last year.

With an eye on next year's attempt to win back the Ryder Cup, Montgomerie has made the pair captains for this September's Vivendi Trophy -- the old Seve Trophy -- between a Continental Europe side and one from Britain and Ireland. But McGinley feels exactly the same as the Dane about his No. 1 Cup goal.

"I really want to make the team," said the 42-year-old, who stood down as an assistant to Nick Faldo because he felt it was a distraction to his playing career. "I think Monty is going to be a great captain and I would love to play under him.

"Monty is going to announce who his vice-captains are going to be after qualifying finishes," he added. "Obviously he's picked myself and Thomas to be involved in the Vivendi and I don't think you have to put one and one together.

"I'm obviously in his mind somewhere in terms of those four people he's going to have, but I'm a lot more comfortable trying to make the team this year and whatever happens after that happens," he said. "That's when I'll be able to make a decision, but in the meantime it's gung-ho trying to make the team."

While Montgomerie's 69 kept him in the hunt for a first top-10 finish for almost a year, Pavin said he got what he deserved in a round that included a lost ball on the driveable 15th.

"The course tests everything, but I just wasn't sharp," he said.

Dougherty, who finished fourth in the event last year, played a magnificent chip at the last for his fifth birdie and then recalled the great times he had at the venue with his mother, who died suddenly just over a year ago.

"I love it here," he said. "She was Welsh and I've found the Welsh people very receptive to me."

Frost is trying to become the oldest winner in European Tour history. All set to switch to the Champions Tour in September, he did not drop a stroke, either.

The Glasgow-born McLean, a 38-year-old who took up the game seriously only after National Service in South Africa, birdied two of the last four holes to make it a four-way tie at the top.

Ireland's Shane Lowry, who began his professional career with a 6-over 78 last week, is in danger of a second successive missed cut after a 6-over 77.

"Horrendous -- I don't know what happened," said the 22-year-old, whose Irish Open victory three weeks ago made him only the third amateur to win a European Tour event. "I thought I played well in the pro-am, but I never got going. I was in about 10 bunkers and it's very difficult when you are doing that."

European Open winner Christian Cevaer did not even complete his round. Five over after 12 holes, the Frenchman quit because of dizziness.

"The last few days have taken a terrible toll on me physically and mentally," he said. "I've hardly slept since Sunday due to a combination of my win and (management) problems off the course, which are causing me a lot of stress and turmoil. I couldn't do anything and I'll take a well-deserved rest now before coming back for the Open qualifying at Sunningdale on Monday."

He left just before playing partner Larrazabal had a hole-in-one on the 192-yard seventh -- last Saturday the Spaniard had a sextuple-bogey 9 on a par 3 at the London Club.

Indian Jeev Milkha Singh produced the day's second ace on the 196-yard 13th and then Dane Mads Vibe-Hastrup followed Larrazabal in. It is only the fourth time in European Tour history that three aces have come in the same round.

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