Kaymer in blistering form

Kaymer: Surviving

First-round leaderboard
GB & Ire unless stated
-9 M Kaymer (Ger)
-6 J Bickerton
-6 R Echenique (Arg)
-6 P Hanson (Swe)
-6 T Jaidee (Tha)
-6 S Strange (Aus)

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Martin Kaymer overcame both the blistering heat and a blistered foot to take the lead in the French Open after the opening round in Paris.

Despite his handicap - Kaymer's right shoe had a hole cut in it so he could complete Wednesday's pro-am - the 24-year-old German shot a course record-equalling nine-under-par 62 at Le Golf National.

He therefore holds a three-stroke lead over England's 2006 winner John Bickerton, Thai Thongchai Jaidee, Australian Scott Strange, Swede Peter Hanson and Argentina's Rafa Echenique, the man who was second to Nick Dougherty in Munich on Sunday after a closing albatross.

"I've been missing a lot of short putts, but everything came together - and I hope it continues," Kaymer said. "The foot's still hurting, but I will survive.

"Yesterday when I was practising it was unbelievable pain, but now I don't worry about it."

Kaymer actually started his round with a bogey but five birdies in the next nine holes put him back on track.

He then chipped in for eagle at the long third and finished with three more birdies for an inward 30.

Following his own round of 65, Bickerton, 40 later this year, said: "I've not been playing well, but these things happen in golf and you have to try and kick on and improve.

"I've changed a few things in my set-up. I was getting very crouched and very lazy and hadn't even noticed myself, so it was important to address those issues."

Harrington one over

Kaymer stands 10 strokes clear of Padraig Harrington, who now finds himself flirting with a fifth successive missed cut just two weeks before his bid for an Open hat-trick at Turnberry.

The Irishman was paired with Ian Poulter, runner-up behind him at Royal Birkdale last summer, but they both finished in a tie for 85th place on one over.

Harrington has not had a top-10 finish since January but nevertheless preferred to look on the bright side on Thursday.

"Three three-putts (including two in the first three holes) really hurt badly, but I was encouraged by the way I played - very encouraged," he said.

Poulter, in Europe for the first time this year, was similarly upbeat despite going in the water twice for a triple bogey seven on the 18th, his ninth, before becoming involved in an angry exchange of words with a photographer.

He said: "Take that hole out of it that was not disastrous. After I pulled the drive into the lake I dropped the ball in a smelly lie, but overall I played lovely."

Dougherty followed up his win with a 66 and Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie, without a top-10 finish since he was runner-up in this event last year, returned a 69.

Major disappointment

However, Harrington's fellow major winners Jose Maria Olazabal, Angel Cabrera and John Daly all fared worse than the Dubliner.

Daly was already eight over when he quit with a bad back on the 17th, Olazabal had a 74 and the 75 of current Masters champion Cabrera meant he even finished five behind his 20-year-old son Federico.

The youngster was even on the leaderboard early in the day at three under, but then matched Poulter's seven on the last.

Making his 500th appearance on the European Tour, Miguel Angel Jimenez started his round with a hook into the water before hitting back for a 67.

And defending champion Pablo Larrazabal matched his fellow Spaniard after fighting back from a triple bogey eight on the ninth with five birdies in the last six holes.