Danny Willett one off the early lead at the Omega European Masters

Danny Willett made a bright start to his Omega European Masters title defence, as Ryder Cup team-mates Matt Fitzpatrick and Andy Sullivan struggled during the opening round in Switzerland.

The Masters champion carded a five-under 65 at Crans-sur-Sierre to stay within one stroke of a four-way tie for the lead, while Fitzpatrick and Sullivan face a battle to make the cut after rounds of 75 and 74 respectively.

England's Daniel Brooks and Czech Masters winner Paul Peterson are joined at the top of the leaderboard by French pair Mike Lorenzo-Vera and Gregory Havret, with Willett part of a nine-strong group one behind.   

Willett, who has only posted one top-20 finish since winning at Augusta in April, carded a blemish-free first nine and added another gain at the fourth.

A duffed approach to the fifth resulted in Willett's only blemish of the day, before the world No 11 responded by picking up a shot at the seventh and rolling in a ten-foot eagle at the par-five ninth.

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Peterson posted four birdies in a five-hole stretch on his way to taking the early clubhouse lead, with Lorenzo-Vera joining him after carding a blemish-free card.

Havret responded from an opening-hole bogey to rack up seven gains - including one at the last - to join the group on six under, with Brooks completing the set following back-to-back eagles along the back nine.

Three birdies over the closing stretch parachuted Andrew "Beef" Johnston in to the tie for fifth that also includes James Morrison, while Miguel Angel Jimenez lies in the group three shots back after a three-under 67.

After playing his first 14 holes in seven over par Fitzpatrick found two late gains to undo some of the earlier damage, while Sullivan posted six bogeys on his way to slipping ten strokes off the pace.

Lee Westwood, the only other Ryder Cup player in the field, bogeyed the last to card an opening-round 72, as captain Darren Clarke quadruple-bogeyed the 18th to close an eight-over 78.

Watch the Omega European Masters throughout the weekend live on Sky Sports - your home of golf. Live coverage begins on Friday from 10.30am.

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