Matthew Fitzpatrick and Chris Wood win on opening day of Paul Lawrie Match Play

Ryder Cup hopefuls Matthew Fitzpatrick and Chris Wood enjoyed comfortable victories on the opening day of the Aberdeen Asset Management Paul Lawrie Match Play.

Wood, who is the top seed at Archerfield this week, beat Australia's Brett Rumford 4&3 in his opening round match while fellow Englishman Fitzpatrick enjoyed the same result against Denmark's Thomas Bjorn.

Rumford took an early lead in his match against Wood by birdieing the opening hole but that would prove to be his only birdie of the day.

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Wood levelled with a birdie at the second and never trailed again after taking the lead at the fourth, where his opponent lost the hole to a par.

He will next face another Englishman, Daniel Brooks, who beat Wales' Gareth Wright 4&3.

Fitzpatrick's win over Ryder Cup vice-captain Bjorn was equally impressive with a run of four birdies in five holes from the fifth taking him into a six-hole advantage.

Bjorn responded with birdies at the 10th and 14th, but a halved 15th hole was enough for Fitzpatrick to progress to a second-round clash with Matt Ford, who was a 3&2 winner over Pelle Edberg on Thursday.

"I played really nicely and made quite a few birdies on the front nine. It was good to get off to that fast start and sort of just hold it together on the back nine. I think it was a good day and I'm just delighted to get the win in the first round," Fitzpatrick said.
 

Second seed Alex Noren was just as impressive as he secured a second-round clash with Renato Paratore.

Swedish star Noren had six birdies in a 5&4 win over Scotsman Scott Jamieson but he will need to be on his game on Friday against the young Italian.

Paratore enjoyed the biggest winning margin of Thursday's 32 first round matches as he beat another home player - Stephen Gallacher - 7&6 thanks to seven birdies in the 12 holes he needed to claim victory.

Fourth seed Richard Bland also progressed, beating Sweden's Joakim Lagergren 3&2, but there was an early exit for Spain's Jorge Campillo, with the fifth seed knocked out by home favourite Marc Warren 3&2.

English players David Horsey, who beat Sebastien Gros 6&4, and James Morrison who was a 6&5 winner over Alvaro Quiros, were also among the wide-margin winners on day one at the East Lothian venue.

Tournament host Lawrie hit six birdies on his way to clinching victory over Lucas Bjerregaard - who sits 295 places higher in the world rankings - on the 16th hole.

The longest match of the day also ended with an English winner as Oliver Fisher outlasted America's Peter Uihlein to win at the 22nd hole.