by Mark Stokes

Dane Thomas Bjorn and 20-year-old amateur Tom Lewis upstaged the big guns to share the lead in the 140 Open after the opening day at Royal St George’s, Sandwich.

Bjorn, who came in as a late reserve for Vijay Singh, went out in the sixth group of the day when conditions were most testing and produced a blistering five-under par of 65 to hold the outright lead, for much of the day.

But, he was joined late on by Hertfordshire rookie Lewis, who, teeing off in the 43 group, went out in 32 and came home in 33 to earn a share of the lead and be the top placed Englishman. His score was also the lowest ever in the championship by an amateur.

Bjorn, who famously blew a winning position to lose The Open in 2003 – the last time it was held at Sandwich – reached the turn in 33, helped by birdies at holes two, seven and eight. His only dropped shot came at the par-four ninth, but he was quickly back into his stride on the inward half producing level par golf for the first two holes, before picking up his fourth birdie of the morning at the 12.

Three more followed at 14, 15 and 16 and his inward half was blemished only by a bogey at the last.

Lewis, whose three-ball included legend Tom Watson - his dad Bryan's hero - had birdies at three, seven and eight on his outward half and reeled off four successive birdies between the 14 and 17 to prove his front nine was no fluke.

The pair finished the day one in front of three men, Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez, and Americans Lucas Glover and Webb Simpson.

Jimenez went out four groups behind Bjorn and produced two halves of 33 for a four-under total of 66. The Spaniard finished without a single bogey and had birdies at the fourth and ninth going out, and at the 12 and 17 coming home.

Before Lewis took centre stage Simon Dyson – one of Bjorn’s playing partners and another reserve – was the leading Englishman, carding two halves of 34 for a two-under total of 68 – a total matched by Darren Clarke.

World No. 1 Luke Donald and pre-tournament favourite Rory McIlroy both finished one over, while Ben Curtis, who won here in 2003, was seven over- the same score as Prince’s professional Franny McGuirk.

Picture: Barry Goodwin