Old hands close in on Coles

Ian Woosnam tackles the long Westwood Hills course

Ian Woosnam and Mark James rolled back the years to move into contention to end a three-year win drought in the inaugural Wales Open at Celtic Manor.

Former Ryder Cup captain James fired a five-under-par 67 while home favourite Woosnam carded an opening 68 over the Wentwood Hills course.

But it was England's Robert Coles who set a blistering pace with a flawless eight-under-par 64 to establish a new course record and claim a three-shot lead.

James was alone in second place with Woosnam sharing third alongside Doncaster's Ian Garbutt and Denmark's Anders Hansen.

Coles' superb round represented a welcome change of luck after he was involved in a car crash three days before the qualifying school finals in 1998, where he was eventually forced to withdraw with two broken ribs after a first-round 78.

Early leader Robert Coles

Undeterred, however, the 27-year-old from Hornchurch regained his card through the school last year despite the pain of mouth ulcers from his emerging wisdom teeth.

"I don't know where that came from," admitted Coles, who missed the cut in his last three events after an encouraging tie for seventh in the French Open.

"Nothing's been happening the last few weeks but I got off to quite a nice start and it just got going. I'm asking myself now why I can't do this every week.

"As for the car crash, I actually came out of that quite well considering. A woman fell asleep at the wheel and came across the road into our car head on.

"The other player in the car, Darren Parker, broke his arm and had his head cut open and the caddie in the back fractured his skull and broke his nose, while I walked out with a couple of fractured ribs.

Seve Ballesteros - retired with an injury

"I played the first day at the school but couldn't continue and when I got home found out the ribs were fractured and rested all winter."

James has not won since the Spanish Open in 1997 but finished second in the English Open last week, apparently unaffected by the controversy generated by his book on the Ryder Cup at Brookline in 1999.

He also made light of the supposedly exhausting back nine which winds its way back uphill from the Usk valley, coming home in 31, and adding his backing to the resort's bid to stage the 2009 Ryder Cup.

"Courses improve a lot in nine years," said James, who credited his excellent form to improved putting.

"This is very, very good for the length of time it's been open and it's going to get even better. It's hard but we're supposed to be fit and able to manage it."

Billionaire owner Terry Matthews, who has spent over £100m on the resort, also earlier refuted criticisms of the course as he spelled out his determination to bring the Ryder Cup to Wales.

Local favourite Phil Price

He said: "If I don't get it in 2009 I'll keep going and going and going.

"It's best to outlive those who say no and they'll get sick of me badgering them in the end. My bank balance is fine and this is all 'fun money' I'm using.

"Someone will always complain about something, but it's not meant to be an easy course."

Woosnam has also not tasted victory since 1997 but a third and seventh place in his last two events saw him installed as favourite for a hat-trick of titles on home soil.

"I've not been favourite for a long time," said Woosnam.

"It's nice but it doesn't really worry me. I just want to do the best I can and not embarrass myself and to go round in 68 I'm very happy.

"I'm very surprised the scoring has been so low because it's a very tough course."

Earlier in the day Seve Ballesteros' miserable season had continued when he was forced to withdraw early in his first round.

The Spaniard managed just eight holes before being forced to admit defeat in his battle against a back and hip injury.

Ian Woosnam - looking for Welsh hat-trick

"I took some painkillers yesterday (Wednesday) and it did not feel too bad this morning, but after eight holes it was too painful to carry on," said the 43-year-old.

"It may be to do with all the travelling I've been doing recently and now I'll go home and rest and see a specialist. It's the first time I've had a problem with my hip."

Ballesteros, whose next scheduled appearance is at the Irish Open at the end of the month, was three over when he called it a day after a disastrous start.

He hooked his opening tee shot out of bounds to run up a triple-bogey seven and despite picking up two birdies he dropped further shots at the sixth and eighth.