Australia&aposs Brett Rumford is one of nine players in a share of the lead after the first round of the Celtic Manor Wales Open. Rumford, who carded a four under round of 65 which included six birdies and two Bogies, got off to a poor start with a bogie on the par-three second. He recovered to birdie three of the next five holes going to the turn at two under. It was more of the same on the back nine for the Aussie who picked up shots on 12, 15 and 16, his only blemish a bogie on the par four 17th. Rumford shares the lead with Steve Alker, Paul Broadhurst, Ricardo Gonzalez, Soren Kjeldsen Jose Manuel Lara, Paul Lawrie, Steven O&aposHara and Gary Orr. Matthew Zions is a shot further back on three under after a solid 66 and joins a group of 11 players who are a stroke adrift of the leading group. Zions had a blemish-free round, which included three birdies, two on the front nine and one on the back nine. Other Aussies still in the mix include Marcus Fraser and Andrew Tampion who both carded rounds of 68 to stay in touch with the leaders at one under. Results from round one of the Celtic Manor Wales Open, Wales : -4: Steve Alker 65, Paul Broadhurst 65, Ricardo Gonzalez 65, Soren Kjeldsen 65, Jose Manuel Lara 65, Paul Lawrie 65, Steven O&aposHara 65, Gary Orr 65, Brett Rumford (Australia) 65 -3: Liam Bond 66, Gregory Bourdy 66, Michael Campbell 66, Christian Cevaer 66, Bradley Dredge 66, Mattias Eliasson 66, Martin Erlandsson 66, Alastair Forsyth 66, Joakim Haeggman 66, James Kingston 66, Matthew Zions (Australia) 66 also: -1: Marcus Fraser (Australia) 68, Andrew Tampion (Australia) 68 E: Terry Price (Australia) 69 1: Peter Senior (Australia) 70 3: Matthew Millar (Australia) 72 4: Peter O&aposMalley (Australia) 73, Wade Ormsby (Australia) 73