SEVE BALLESTEROS now knows the size of the task he faces to recapture the game that once made him the dominant figure in European golf A first round 78 in the Moroccan Open at Royal Dar es Salam in Rabat yesterday left the newly appointed Ryder Cup captain 10 shots behind pacemaker Peter Hedblom.

Hedhlom, a 25 year old Swede, starts the second stage one stroke ahead of Scottish newcomer Raymond Russell, fellow countryman Joakim Gronhagen, and Frenchman Marc Farry.

John McHenry was the leading Irishman on a two under par 70, and he was solidly backed by Darren Clarke, Des Smyth, Padraig Harrington and Francis Howley who were all on level par along side favourite Ian Woosnam.

Despite a series of late setbacks other Irish contenders Spaniard had, only, one birdie, and had to wait until the last he fore marking it on his card.

Reminiscent of his at Oak Hill in his last appearance of 1995, he carved the hall all over the course and hit only five greens in regulation. New clubs and a new caddie and five months of relaxation away from the pressure cooker atmosphere of tournament golf have made little difference, as Seve recognised.

"It was the best score possible from the way I played," he said. "I have no confidence at all and I cannot hit the ball in the middle of the club face."

Partner Wayne Westner echoed Sam Torrance's warn in not to count out the Spaniard from making a full recovery. He is too good a player, not to turn it around, be said. He is a bit negative at the moment because of the slump and as golf is a game where you hit, more had, shots than good it is imperative he remains positive."

Nevertheless Ballesteros faces a desperate struggle to survive today's hallway cut, which is likely to tall around live over par. McHenry is among those who helped to mar the prospects of the Ryder Cup captain by finding the tempo that Ballesteros currently lacks.

I slowed down my swing to make sure I gave my hips time to clear, and played very tidy golf," said McHenry. "I haven't hit the ball that well for a long time."

He forced his way on to the leader board by getting out in 34 from the 10th with the aid of birdies from 20 and 12 feet at the 15th and 18th, but was denied a share of second place after a birdie at the long fifth when he misjudged his approach, to the seventh. McHenry left himself a downhill putt on a slippery green and after running it four feet past, missed the return.

Inspired putting in the middle of his round when he had only eight putts in nine holes, brought Harrington to two under par, with three to play. He chipped in at the 15th to save par but then in the deepening gloom of a day interrupted by a torrential downpour he bogeyed the 16th and 7th.

Smyth and Clarke played together and though Clarke had four of the six birdies they claimed, both had to work hard to match the card. Smyth began solidly from the 10th with 12 pars, but forfeited his chance to better the card with three putts at the last.

Clarke also found the pace of the greens difficult to gauge and was content to escape relatively unscathed from a course which permits few liberties and offers little chance of atoning for mistakes.

Philip Walton found birdies very elusive, enjoying his only strike from eight feet at the fifth. He was unfortunate at the 16th to drive into a fairway bunker and find a large palm tree leaf behind his ball. He sent it into another bunker near toe green from where hew as unable to get down in two.

Howley was another 10 three putt the ninth green in near darkness to offset the bonus of birdie three at the third and seventh, whale Eamonn Darcy's adoption of the long handled putter moved nearer after he putted each of the last three greens to join Jimmy Heggarty on 74.