GOLF:PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON gave a decent account of himself, with only his putting stroke out of kilter, and returned a four under par 68 at the "easier" Marly Course at the €1.25 million Vivendi Cup on the outskirts of Paris yesterday.

Harrington is playing in the pro-am style event at Golf de Joyenval after failing to reach this week’s US Tour Championship in Atlanta.

The world number 22 is using this week as his final event before next week’s Ryder Cup and he enjoyed seven birdies and two dropped shots to be alongside fellow Dubliner Paul McGinley, who also played the 6,729-yard Marly course.

“If I had putted well it would have been a tremendous score,” Harrington said. “You have to hole putts to shoot a low number. I could see the two weeks of practice I’ve just done and I got stalled over the ball a bit, but another three rounds will do me no end of good.”

Gary Murphy was a shot farther back after his efforts on the more difficult Retz Course. It was a welcome sub par round for the Kilkenny pro who is running out of time to save his tour card.

Peter Lawrie signed for a two- over-par 74 on the same course, while Simon Thornton leaked shots coming home before carding a three over 75 on the Retz.

On a day of low scoring, Sweden’s Johan Edfors blazed a trail with an 11-under 61.

Edfors had five birdies in an outward 31 and then started for home with three more birdies and an eagle.

The European Tour’s first 59 was a possibility at that stage, but the former Scottish Open and British Masters champion bogeyed the next before finishing with two more birdies.

It gave him a two-shot lead over England’s David Dixon, while the scoring was such that Harrington did not even make the top-20.

France’s Jean-Francois Remesy and England’s John Parry tied for third after shooting 64s.

“That is pretty good – I played really solid today, actually,” said Edfors. “I holed a couple of good putts, but am still a little bit disappointed. I don’t think I’ll ever get a better chance to shoot 59 than I had today.

“I was 10 under with five to go and I had 80 metres left on 14 in the middle of the fairway and I bogeyed that one, and then I birdied 17 and 18 coming in. So I felt a little bit better but had a really good chance for a 59 there, I was playing really nice.”

Meanwhile, European Ryder Cup vice-captain Thomas Bjorn believes captain Colin Montgomerie’s decision to play all 12 team members on the opening day of competition will prove pivotal at the final day’s singles.

Montgomerie has broken from tradition in announcing that each member of his team can prepare themselves to play on the first day against the US.

The move was discussed with all four vice-captains, including Bjorn, who whole-heartedly agrees with the decision.

“I’m quite sure it’s easier for the players if they know what they are going to do when they get in there so they can prepare in that way,” said Bjorn after signing for a 69.

“It’s going to be nice to know who your partner is when you’re going to go out and play.

“So I’m sure Colin’s thought about it that way and we’ll go out there and play our practice and see if everybody is on form and then we’ll stick to his plan.”

“Over the years, Europeans have shown that the guys who play a lot of matches get very tired for the singles,” said Bjorn.

“We have such a strong team in depth, so if you can play all 12 every day, it gives a few of the guys a little bit more rest and prepares them for the singles.

“Sunday is a very important day. You play for 12 points and that’s the day where you really want everybody to be fresh.”