THERE was no happy return for Steve Richardson to the Spanish course where his career took off.

Eleven years ago a bright-eyed youngster from Lee-on-Solent won the Girona Open at Pals - beating Colin Montgomerie and Darren Clarke amongst others - to launch a season which ended with him a Ryder Cup player and second to Seve Ballesteros on the European Order of Merit with over £500,000.

But 36-year-old Richardson has dropped off the golfing map since then and now finds himself making his fifth successive attempt to come through the tour qualifying school.

An opening four-over-par 76 yesterday was hardly what he had in mind, however. It left him 11 strokes behind Scotland's Barry Hume, the leader.

"I'm battling, but it's about all I've got now," sighed Richardson. "If I was the same player I was when I won here I wouldn't be here now, but I just don't hit it well when the gun goes off.

"Years of bad golf have done that to me. I started okay, but then collapsed and couldn't hit it at all."

One under par after eight holes, he drove into the trees and then three-putted for a bogey six on the 18th, then three-putted the first and hit such a wild drive at the 361-yard third that it clattered into trees and finished only 100 yards ahead of him.

That cost Richardson a double bogey six and failing to get up and down from sand on the ninth meant another dropped shot.

Hume, who briefly led the British Masters as an amateur earlier this year, grabbed six birdies in a superb outward 30 on his way to seven-under 65.

It was a bad day for Hampshire golf with Steve Cowle and Martin Le Mesurier tailed off at the back of the field at Pals.

Cowle was second in the second stage of qualifying school last week but that form deserted the Blacknest professional, who came home in 74. But even that overshadowed Brokenhurst Manor's Le Mesurier, who was tailed off nearly last after an uncharacteristic 77. Leader at the other venue, Emporda, was Aussie Brett Rumford with a 62.

Justin Rose, who took over from Richardson as Hampshire's European Tour star, has the leaders in his sights halfway through the Mitsui Masters in Japan.

The 22-year-old Fleet player won in Japan in May and likes the place. He birdied his first three holes yesterday then parred his way round to the 16th, where he three-putted for bogey.

But he hit his tee shot close at the short 17th, knocked in his birdie putt and followed suit at the last after taking two shots to reach the green at the par five. Rose finished with a 68 to stand six under after 36 holes.