One great decision and one even better shot yesterday helped Darren Clarke keep his dream of becoming European number one alive in Spain.

The 30-year-old Ulsterman shares the lead after the first round of the Volvo Masters at Montecastillo, near Jerez - a tournament he has to win to have even a chance of ending Colin Montgomerie's five-year reign and denying close friend Lee West wood top spot.

On the fastest greens in Europe this season, Clarke's five-under-par 67 put him alongside Scot Gordon Brand Jnr, Australians Greg Chalmers and Peter O'Malley, Swede Jarmo Sandelin and German Alexander Cejka.

Montgomerie and Westwood found comfort in finding themselves only three shots off the pace after failing to get on top of their games.

The great decision Clarke made was to put a five wood into his bag. He employed it for four of his six birdies.

"Billy (his caddie Billy Foster) asked me 30 minutes before I teed off whether I was going to use the five wood or my two iron," he said. "Since he had already taken the two iron out of the bag he really made the decision for me. There are a few long par threes where you need to hit it high and soft and that's easier with a wood."

The great shot came on the 422-yard last after pushing his three-wood drive into sand. The green is guarded by water and the flag was positioned not far from it, but from the bunker Clarke struck a crisp six iron 170 yards to six feet and made the putt.

"That was a proper shot - amongst the top 10 I've hit this year," he said.

Clarke added that a putting tip from Westwood helped his game. "Lee just told me that my elbows were out of alignment with the rest of my body.

"He got me out on the practice putting green on Tuesday, then I took 50 quid from him yesterday in the pro-am, so it would be nice now if I could also take the tournament. "There's a long way to go, but I'm playing well and hopefully there are a lot more good shots to come.

"I know I had to win this week, but as any astute pro will tell you, you don't win a tournament on the first day and I can't control what Lee or Colin are going to do."

If Clarke wins the £166,000 first prize on Sunday, Montgomerie has to be eighth to stay ahead of him on the money and Westwood has to be second.

Fellow Irishman Paul McGinley, is also well placed, at four-under par despite recording 34 putts in his round.

Padraig Harrington braved a torn tendon in his right wrist to take his place in the elite 66 player field.

Harrington, who had a fibreglass splint fitted to his wrist, said he felt a bit dodgy after some shots yesterday, but was more than pleased to finish just three shots off the pace.

"I'm chuffed to finish at two-under par because if you had told me at the start of the day that I would walk off with a 70, then I would have gladly accepted it" .

Harrington refitted the cast after his round and was hopeful that, with a further night's rest, the injury would further improve before today's second round.

Seve Ballesteros has failed in his bid to have the World Championships taken off the European Order of Merit.

Most tour players will not be playing in the three £3 million events and Ballesteros said that 90 per cent were against the move.

But following a players' meeting on the eve of the Volvo Masters executive director Ken Schofield announced that the tournaments, all with limited fields, would count towards the Order of Merit.

Paul McGinley said: "My view turned full circle after listening to Ken explain the business reasons for being part of the World Championships.