AAP, May 6: Scotland's unheralded Scott Jamieson topped the Spanish Open first round leaderboard on Thursday and hoped his experience of playing at Augusta's fabled Masters course would help him to a debut title.
Playing in just his 11th European Tour event, the 27-year-old shot a six-under-par 66 to be one ahead of England's Steve Webster, Jeev Milkha Singh of India, France's Romain Wattel and Spaniard Pablo Larrazabal.
Jamieson studied in the US at Augusta State and was allowed to play on the Masters lay-out once a year.
"I didn't get a wink of sleep the night before the first time I played. In my first three rounds I shot 80 -- same as Rory McIlroy last month, of course -- and on my fourth I finally had a respectable 74," he said.
"Not to make excuses, we always played in the winter when it was cold and wet."
On Thursday, Jamieson grabbed eight birdies and would have been clear out in front but for bogeys at the 14th and fourth.
Jose Maria Olazabal had to settle for a level-par 72, while Colin Montgomerie, the Spaniard's successor as Ryder Cup captain, was three under with three to play, but had a double-bogey six on the 16th.
The 47-year-old came back with a birdie for a 70.