WORCESTERSHIRE'S John Bickerton has made a fine start to the PGA Championship at Wentworth.

A first round four-under-par 68 left the Droitwich Golf Club member four shots behind South African leader Ernie Els in joint 16th place.

After a disappointing bogey at the first hole, Bickerton set himself for a fine round with an eagle three at the par five fourth.

Hereford's David Park was also going well until the par five 17th when he carded a disastrous eight.This left him with a par 72 and wasted the two eagles he recorded at the fourth and twelfth.

An eight under par 64, one outside the West Course record, gave Els the first round lead.

The world number three and playing partners Ignacio Garrido and Paul Casey served up a treat for the record first day crowd of more than 16,000, being a collective 17 under and having a best-ball of 58.

Garrido, who won the title 12 months ago partnering Els in the final round, shot 67 and Casey, unhappy with a television buggy driver for disturbing him and then almost running over his ball, would have been on the same mark but for bogeying the 531-yard last.

Miguel Angel Jimenez, second to the South African on the European Order of Merit after three wins already this season, Welshman Stephen Dodd, a lowly 272nd on the world rankings, and Swede Christopher Hanell all shot 65 and world number two Vijay Singh is lurking one further back along with Scotland's Scott Drummond.

Colin Montgomerie has six strokes to make up, while four-time winner Nick Faldo matched Montgomerie's 70.