US TOUR:Camilo Villegas fired a flawless eight-birdie 63 to claim the early first round lead in the Deutsche Bank Championship yesterday.

Birdies at the third, fourth, sixth and seventh had the Colombian star out in 32 and four more birdies followed at the 12th, 14th, 17th and 18th in a home run of 31.

Villegas leads by one from Canadian Mike Weir, who holed out from a greenside bunker at the opening hole, and American Ryan Moore.

Pádraig Harrington, with two birdies and three bogeys, finished on one over par while Tiger Woods also opened with a 72.

The leading 70 on the FedExCup points list after the tournament ends on Monday qualify for next week's BMW Championship outside Chicago.

CHALLENGE TOUR: Francois Delamontagne from France shot a second round 65 to claim the clubhouse lead on 10-under-par 130 before heavy rain brought a premature end to play in the ECCO Tour Championship in Odense yesterday. Delamontagne leads by one from Iain Pyman who shot 67 for 131.

Colm Moriarty was three over par for his second round after 15 holes after opening with a 67. Mark Murphy shot 73 for 141 and Justin Kehoe 72 for 151.

SENIORS TOUR:Despite being just three shots off the European Senior Masters lead held by Italy's Costantino Rocca at Woburn Golf Club, Eamonn Darcy admits he may have to withdraw from the event due to the recurrence of a lower disc problem in his back.

Darcy, 55, managed to put the pain aside to shoot a level par 72 on day one of the tournament - yet dashed off for some physiotherapy immediately after completing his round to see if the treatment can keep him active for the remaining two days' action.

Darcy had to withdraw from The Midas English Seniors Open at St Mellion a fortnight ago, after aggravating his condition just two holes into his second round. "I'd be very disappointed if it happened again," he said.

Denis O'Sullivan, meanwhile, shot a two over par 74, while Antrim man Jimmy Heggarty struggled to a five over par 77. Liam Higgins shot an 11-over-par 83.

Tournament leader Rocca hit five birdies in his 69, including one on the 18th hole, to top the leaderboard by one shot. The defending champion, England's Carl Mason, is two back from Rocca after he opened with a one-under-par 71.

EUROPRO TOUR:Dean Barnes won his first PGA EuroPro Tour event in dramatic fashion at Ufford Park, Suffolk yesterday. After three rounds of the 2007 Motocaddy Championship, Barnes and Eddie Vernon were tied on nine-under 201.

And in the play-off Barnes held his nerve by sinking a 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th to claim the £10,000 top prize, a result that catapults him up from 69th in the 2007 Order of Merit to eighth in the rankings.

Michael McDermott was best of the Irish on three-under-par 207 after a 72. Mark O'Sullivan and Alan Murray tied on 208 after both shot 71 while Brian McElhinney was two back after a 73. Pádraig Dooley finished on 212 after a final round 72.

LET TOUR: American Kris Lindstrom claimed a one-stroke lead at the Finnair Masters in Helsinki after equalling her best score on the Ladies European Tour.

The 34-year-old from Minneapolis carded a six-under-par 65 in the tournament where she posted a career-best finish of joint third last year.

She leads from Sweden's Asa Gottmo, Germany's Martina Eberl and defending champion Virginie Lagoutte-Clement of France.

English teenager Kiran Matharu shot the lowest score of her professional career- 67 - to be fifth.

The tournament's youngest participant - 13-year-old Filipino Dottie Ardina - finished her bogey-free round on two-under par to share 11th with England's Felicity Johnson.

Rebecca Coakley finished on level par 71 after shooting halves of 34 and 37. Martina Gillen, showed some good form with 72, Hazel Kavanagh shot 74, while Claire Coughlan signed for a 75.

AMATEUR: Jonathan Caldwell from Clandeboye and Gareth Shaw from Lurgan have withdrawn from Ireland's team for the Home Internationals at Co Louth GC, Baltray on September 19th-21st.

Both players, who were members of Ireland's successful team in the European Team Championship at Western Gailes, Scotland, are in the final year of studies at Universities in America and are unable to receive time off from their respective classes. Limerick's Cian McNamara and Neil O'Briain from Royal Dublin have been called into the team as replacements.