Mouland in lead

Mark Mouland's new attitude to the game paid off with a five-under- par 67 in the first round of the Turespaa Balearic Open in Majorca yesterday.

"I've become a lot more dedicated - I don't think there's any other way to survive," said the 33-year-old Welshman, whose last victory was seven years ago.

Mouland, who finished the day tied for the lead with the Spaniard Pedro Linhart, last year had his worst season on tour since 1984, dropping to 115th in the Order of Merit.

Mouland played the back nine first and reached the turn at only one under par. When he went into the lake at the short 18th the best he could do looked to be nine holes in level par, but he salvaged a bogey there with a 15-foot putt.

Encouraged by that, he then collected four birdies in an inward 32, holing from three, 30, 25 and 15 feet. Linhart had three successive birdies - right at the end of his round. The 32-year-old made a 15-footer on the 16th, struck two drivers to the fringe of the green at the long 17th and closed with a six-iron to six feet.

One behind the leaders are Gary Emerson of Britain, the Trinidadian Stephen Ames and another Spaniard, Jose Rozadilla. Steve Richardson, disqualified for missing his tee-off time in Portugal last week, is in the group on 70. The defending champion, Barry Lane, lies only one shot further back.