Australian Marcus Fraser, Englishman Paul Broadhurst and Swede Magnus Carlsson share the lead after the opening day of the Madrid Masters. The trio, having all shot 67s, are hotly pursued by a cluster of five players, including French Open winner Pablo Larrazabal, who are one shot back on three-under. Miguel Angel Jimenez, who would move to third in the European Tour Order of Merit if he wins here, is one of 15 players two shots behind on two-under. New Zealander Gareth Paddison enjoyed a fine start, also carding a two-under 69 to be two strokes off the pace. Paddison, who came into the week at 145th in the European Tour Order of Merit, fired five birdies along with three bogies to join 14 other players in a logjam for equal ninth. A further shot behind him is a group of players including Australia&aposs Peter O&aposMalley, while countrymen Peter Fowler and Matthew Millar are at one-over. Kiwi Steve Alker is shot a two-over 73 to be tied for 74th. The story of the day was the third comeback from injury of Spanish veteran Jose Maria Olazabal, who sent expectations soaring when he birdied his first hole – the 10th – and was two-under at the turn courtesy of birdies at 16 and 17 making up for a dropped shot on the 14th. He picked up another birdie on the way back in, and even two more bogeys failed to take the gloss off an impressive score. The two-time Masters champion said: “It has been a very positive day and my score is better than I expected.” “I made some mistakes – I three-putted on two greens – but other parts have been very good.” “I started the 10th hole, my first, with a birdie and I thought to myself &aposThis is good&apos.” “Who would believe that after so much time out of competition I make a birdie to start?” “Being back on the golf course has been weird. It&aposs been a long while since I was in a competition and I have lost my rhythm.” “But I will do my best. It&aposs not a 100m sprint but four long days on a very demanding golf course. It might seem easy but you have to play very well.” Joint leader Broadhurst is no stranger to enforced absences either, having been sidelined by a serious hand injury in 2000, and despite admitting his four-under-par 67 was not pretty at times, he was happy overall. The 43-year-old said: “I just stuck in there really and had to make a couple of miracle shots to keep it ticking over.” “I had a couple of very poor tee shots on five and six but came back with another couple of birdies at the end and it&aposs nice to finish four-under.” “It doesn&apost get any easier even if you&aposve been on the Tour for years and I&aposll be out practising this afternoon.” First round of the Madrid Masters, Spain -4: Paul Broadhurst (England) 67, Magnus Carlsson (Sweden) 67, Marcus Fraser (Australia) 67 -3: Steven Jeppesen (Sweden) 68, James Kamte (South Africa) 68, Pablo Larrazabal (Spain) 68, Santiago Luna (Spain) 68, Steve Webster (England) 68 -2: Peter Baker (England) 69, Sion Bebb (Wales) 69, Ariel Canete (Argentina) 69, Carlos Del Moral (Spain) 69, Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (France) 69, Ricardo Gonzalez (Argentina) 69, Thongchai Jaidee (Thailand) 69, Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spain) 69, Shiy Kapur (India) 69, Jose Manuel Lara (Spain) 69, Damien McGrane (Ireland) 69, Gareth Paddison (New Zealand) 69, Charl Schwartzel (South Africa) 69, Francis Valera (Spain) 69, Paul Waring (England) 69 Also: -1: Peter O&aposMalley (Australia) 70 +1: Peter Fowler (Australia) 72, Matthew Millar (Australia) 72 +2: Steve Alker (New Zealand) 73 +4: Andrew Tampion (Australia) 75 +5: Terry Pilkadaris (Australia) 76