Bennett Takes First Round Lead - 23/06/2007

WARREN BENNETT fired in a fine round of 64 to lead by one shot after the opening day of The Peugeot International Open at Whittlebury Park.

Bennett dropped just one shot during his opening round, at the fifth hole, and hit seven successive birdies from the eighth to 14th holes as he moved out to -7.

That puts him a shot clear of four players who began with six-under-par rounds of 65.

Mark Smith and David Addison both failed to drop a shot on the first day, while Russell Claydon and Hamish Robertson carded only one bogey in their rounds.

Paul Dohery, Michael Searle, Sean Whiffin and David James all sit a shot back at -5, with the latter dropping shots and 17 and 18 to see his hopes of sharing the overnight lead dashed.

Eight players are sat at -4 after opening with rounds of 67 on Wednesday, including Wentworth's Jonathan Evans, who landed a hole-in-one with a six-iron at the 199-yard third hole.

Evans' effort was the fourth on the 2006 PGA EuroPro Tour and guarantees him a place in the end-of-season Tour Championship, where he will play-off in the Peugeot Hole-In-One Shoot-Out for a brand new Peugeot car.

Three winners from the 2006 season, Kevin Harper, Phil Rowe and Daniel Gaunt are also sat on -4, while British Amateur Champion is one of 14 players to open the event with a round of 68.