CHORLEY'S Nick Dougherty made a disappointing start to the Volvo Masters.

The former Shaw Hill star finished with a four-over-par 75 round the Club de Golf Valderrama in Spain, trailing overnight leader Graham McDowell by seven shots.

Dougherty parred the first three holes, but took a bogey six on the par five fourth.

He followed that up with bogeys on the ninth and 12th.

Dougherty, who was named European Tour Golfer of the Month for October on Wednesday, pulled a shot back with a birdie on the 14th - but lost another shot on the next hole.

It was a similar story for the next two holes as bogey once again followed birdie.

And a frustrating afternoon was capped off with a dropped shot on the last.

Meanwhile, after the first hole-in-one of his European Tour career Justin Rose is exactly where he needs to be to win the Order of Merit title on Sunday.

A one-under-par 70 left Rose in a two-way tie for third place, one behind Paul McGinley and two behind McDowell.

However, Padraig Harrington's fabulous five birdies on the back nine brought him back into the hunt for the top three finish he also needs to topple money list leader Ernie Els, who controversially is away in Singapore this week.

Harrington, who had a one-stroke penalty when his ball moved on a green in the windy conditions, stormed back for a level-par 71 and is joint fifth after the opening round.

Swedes Henrik Stenson and Niclas Fasth have to win the tournament to have a chance of the number one spot, but they are five and four over respectively.