Woosnam and James in vintage display

Mark James is in great form at the Wales Open

England's Robert Coles set a blistering pace at the inaugural Wales Open with a flawless eight-under-par 64 to claim a three shot lead.

But it was old favourites Ian Woosnam and Mark James who were enjoying the limelight.

Woosnam and James rolled back the years to both move into contention.

Former Ryder Cup captain James fired a five-under-par 67 and home favourite Woosnam a 68 over the Wentwood Hills course in the first round at Celtic Manor.

James occupied second place alongside Yorkshireman Iain Pyman and Spain's Ivo Giner, with Woosnam sharing fifth with Doncaster's Ian Garbutt and Denmark's Anders Hansen on four under.

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!

Robert Coles

Coles' superb round represented a welcome change of luck for the West Ham fan who was involved in a car crash three days before the qualifying school finals in 1998 when he was forced to withdraw through injury.

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!"

Controversy

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.

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.

Scores

Collated first-round scores in the Wales Open at Celtic Manor Resort (Gbr and Irl unless stated, par 72):
64 R Coles
67 M James, I Pyman, I Giner (Spa)
68 A Hansen (Den), I Garbutt, I Woosnam
69 R Chapman, D Park, B Lane, J Senden (Aus), T Levet (Fra)
70 S Wakefield, J Robinson, P Golding, P Baker, M McNulty (Zim), A Wall, B Rumford (Aus), S Lyle, S Gallacher, R Winchester, C Suneson (Spa), M Litton, N Vanhootegem (Bel), R Drummond, R McFarlane, S Tinning (Den), A Oldcorn, R Russell, R Wessels (Rsa)
71 P Fulke (Swe), J Spence, P Price, C Rocca (Ita), D Robertson, D Lynn, F Jacobson (Swe), J Haeggman (Swe), N O'Hern (Aus), G Orr, E Boult (Nzl), H Nystrom (Swe)
72 M Eliasson (Swe), R Gonzalez (Arg), F Tarnaud (Fra), S Leaney (Aus), D Howell, J Moseley (Aus), P Eales, C Hainline (USA), S Kjeldsen (Den), R Byrd (USA), W Yeh (Taiwan), A Coltart, L Parsons (Aus), G Evans, G Brand Jnr, P Walton, RJ Derksen (Ned), M Anglert (Swe), M Plummer, S Hansen (Den), P Nyman (swe), S Dyson
73 S Richardson, JM Carriles (Spa), D Hospital (Spa), T Johnstone (Zim), D Smyth, R Johnson (Swe), B Teilleria (Fra), T Gogele (Ger), M Scarpa (Ita), I Hutchings (Rsa), N Ludwell, J Skold (Swe), R Dinsdale, A Forsyth, M Farry (Fra), JM Singh (Ind), S Torrance, S Little, M Cain (Aus), M Lafeber (Ned), D De Vooght (Bel), S Bebb, M Brier (Aut)
74 A Beal, M Mouland, G Storm, V Phillips, K Storgaard (Den), M Davis, M Florioli (Ita), A Butterfield, P Way, S Rowe (USA), R Green (Aus), K Spurgeon, M Blackey, G Emerson, S Allan (Aus), R Rafferty, J Bickerton, M Jonzon (Swe), P Affleck, T Carolan (Aus), S Field, D Lee, F Lindgren (Swe)
75 M Lanner (Swe), R Jacquelin (Fra), P Archer, J Payne, P O'Malley (Aus), B Davis, A Raitt, G Hutcheon, M Mackenzie, G Murphy, J Mellor, S Delagrange (Fra), A Binaghi (Ita)
76 D Chopra (Swe), W Riley (Aus), P Fowler (Aus), N Cheetham, G Hamerton, D Borrego (Spa), A Sherborne, M Tunnicliff, D Carter, O Edmond (Fra), S Cage, E Little
77 P Mitchell, F Roca (Spa), G Ryall, F Cea (Spa), W Bennett, P McGinley, S Watson, D Cooper
78 B Dredge, J Rose, S Hurley, J Wade (USA), H Otto (Rsa)
79 O Karlsson (Swe), E Darcy, R Muntz (Ned)
80 T Gillis (USA), S Dodd
84 K Carissimi (USA)
Rtd: S Ballesteros (Spa)