Foster one shot up at Johnny Walker Championship

GLENEAGLES - England's Mark Foster rolled in eight birdies for a 6-under 66 Thursday to take the lead in the first round of the Johnnie Walker Championship at a foggy Gleneagles.

Playing only his second tournament in seven weeks, Foster picked up seven shots in his opening 11 holes - including four in a row from No. 11 - before a couple of bogeys on his back nine. He finished a shot clear of Spain's Ignacio Garrido and Argentina's Tano Goya.

Foster has held the lead, or a share of the lead, on the final day of three tournaments this season - the French Open, the BMW International Open and the Scottish Open - but failed to break a long title drought that stretches back to 2003.

However, he quickly mastered the greens on the PGA Centenary course that will host the Ryder Cup in 2014, putting himself in a great early position.

"That could have been a special first nine holes because I three-putted the par-5 No. 16," said Foster, who is likely to make the Britain & Ireland team for next month's Vivendi Seve Trophy in Paris.

"I just have a bit more belief in myself this year. It sounds strange but I have stopped trying to win. I've stopped pitching up on a Tuesday thinking about winning - I just do my best for the week."

The start of play was delayed by more than 2 1/2 hours because of thick fog, with early starters not able to see further than 50 yards.

That wasn't the only hindrance to the field.

Foster and compatriot Ross Fisher both said swarms of wasps were causing additional problems for players.

"Two of the three in our group had to back off before every shot," he said. "One wasp was on my ball on my birdie putt on No. 12. I hit it anyway."

Garrido, playing in the group in front of Foster and also starting at No. 10, made six birdies in a solid round to lie a stroke ahead of Ireland's Peter Lawrie, who was at 4 under along with Felipe Aguilar of Chile and Thomas Bjorn of Denmark.

Italy's Francesco Molinari - at No. 22, the highest-ranked player in the 156-man field - was among a large group at 2 under. His older brother, Edoardo Molinari, began defence of his title with a 2-over 74.

Fisher had one of the more eventful rounds of the day.

Hindered by a triple-bogey eight at the long No. 16, Fisher - who started at No. 10 - turned in 40 but came home in 31 to finish on 1 under.

"I played one bad shot all round but I was 5 over after seven holes," said the 31-year-old Englishman. "If you'd have told me on No. 17 that I'd shoot 1 under, I'd have thought you were having a laugh."

England's Nick Dougherty, at one time regarded among the brightest hopes in British golf, is bidding to make the cut for the first time in 21 events but a quadruple-bogey seven at the short No. 6 didn't help his cause after a good start.

Dougherty, who is yet to make any money from golf this season and is in danger of losing his European Tour playing rights, finished at 4 over 76.

Fifty-one golfers had yet to complete their first rounds when play was called due to fading light. Among the later starters were Colin Montgomerie and Jose Maria Olazabal, Ryder Cup Captains past and present, who were one under and one over respectively with two to play.