Carlsson leads Nordea Masters by two on Day 1, Westwood trails by three

STOCKHOLM -- Magnus Carlsson of Sweden shot a 7-under 65 on Wednesday to take a two-stroke lead after the opening round of the Nordea Masters on the European Tour.

Third-ranked Lee Westwood was in a group of eight at 4 under. Playing partner and defending champion Alex Noren shot a 74.

Westwood made a flying start with birdies at the first, second and fifth, adding another shot on the par-3 11th. He then bogeyed the 14th, but sank another birdie on the final hole to shot a four-under 68.

Spaniard Sergio Garcia carded a round of 69, one better than England's Ross Fisher, who signed for a 2-under 70 with birdies at the first and 13th. Fisher missed out on the ISPS Handa Wales Open title last weekend after being hit with a one-stroke penalty for slow play when only one off the lead with four holes to play.

The Nordea Masters started Wednesday to give some players more time to prepare for the U.S. Open next week in San Francisco.

Carlsson, 31, sank eight birdies, though his mood was dampened slightly by a bogey on the last hole. He was one of four Swedes on the leaderboard at Bro Hof as the local favorites made the most of home advantage.

Sweden’s Peter Hanson and England's Richard Bland were in a group of four at 67.

Hanson had five birdies sitting alongside a single bogey on his card. Bland, the early clubhouse leader, mixed eight birdies with a bogey and a double bogey on the par-5 13th.

"To shoot 5 under round this course at anytime is good," said Bland, ranked 661 in the world. "I had a bit of an up-and -down start, but I kicked it into gear around the turn, which made the day really.

"I played the front nine, which was my back nine, pretty solidly, so the game's in pretty good shape."

Bland's compatriot Matthew Baldwin also put on a solid display of six birdies and a bogey to finish the day 5 under, along with Spain's Ignacio Garrido.