DROITWICH Spa golfer John Bickerton struggled to five-over-par in the first round of The Dunlop Masters at the Marriott Forest of Arden club in Warwickshire.

The 35-year-old trails the leaders by eight shots after toiling to a 77 in the European Tour event, the first of the season in England.

Four home grown players, Brian Davis, David Howell, David Lynn and Ben Mason, took a share of the overnight lead as the only players to break 70 on a testing day.