Richard Bland got halfway back to golfing paradise in Tenerife yesterday.

The form which earned the Southampton golfer, pictured below, second place in last year's Murphy's Irish Open has so far eluded him this season.

But in the Canaries Open at Costa Adeje the old magic returned, albeit briefly.

A birdie at the first was followed by an eagle at the 567-yard third and Bland was showing a clean pair of heels to the rest of the field, which included Ryder Cup men Sergio Garcia and Philip Price.

Even a bogey at the fourth couldn't stop Bland who snapped back with a birdie at the sixth to stay in a three-way tie for the lead.

He moved on to four-under with a four at the next of the par fives, the 11th, but that's when the bubble burst.

Bland gave shots back at the 12th and 14th but a birdie at the 17th brought the smiles back for the Stoneham tournament pro and a three-under-par round of 69 was good enough for a place in the top 30 on a day when most of the field were under par.

Soren Hansen, the Dane who pipped Bland to the Irish Open title in a play-off last July, grabbed a share of the lead with another Scandinavian, Jarmo Sandelin, at eight under.

Salisbury's Gary Emerson, who has endured a turbulent start to the new season, like Bland found something like his old form as he birdied three of his first five holes.

Instead of setting the Broadstone tournament pro up for a sizzling round, it insulated him against another disappointing one as he gave all three shots back, the last of them at the 18th.

In between he managed another birdie at 15 and finished at one under, but down in 53rd place.