Carlsson sets the pace at Wentworth but   he's only one ahead of Scott Jamieson

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS Sweden’s Johan Carlsson set the pace on the opening day of the BMW PGA Championship, taking advantage of the immaculate new greens at Wentworth Club,  Surrey with eight birdies in an impressive six-under-par round of 66.   Carlsson made a blistering start to the European Tour’s new Rolex Series, reaching the turn in just 30 shots, courtesy of five birdies on the front nine, and he picked up three more shots on way in, although his back nine was bookended by bogeys on the tenth and 18th holes.   “It was fun today,” he said. “It’s a big event this year, and you kind of feel it with the atmosphere. Everything is big around this tournament, and obviously you want to do well. “The greens are so good. I love this golf course right now.  I think it has become so much better, and I think a lot of other players probably agree with me, as well, on that point.   Carlsson holds a one-shot advantage over Italian Francesco Molinari, Glasgow’s Scott Jamieson, who had a bogey-free round, and Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat, while Carlsson’s compatriot Henrik Stenson, the Open champion, is one of nine players a further shot back on four under par after a bogey-free 68, with all four of his birdies arriving on the back nine.   England’s Ross Fisher and Ireland’s Shane Lowry, both of whom have previously finished runner-up in the BMW PGA Championship, are also among that group, along with Ryder Cup player Thomas Pieters who bogeyed the closing hole.   A crowd of 20,692 people – the second largest Thursday crowd in the event’s history – watched the opening round and they were treated to innovations including a new entertaining first tee experience.   Player Quotes Johan Carlsson: “I had one goal in mind today and that was to commit to every shot, as well as I possibly can, and I think I did. “I started really well today. I felt quite good going into the tournament, and mostly mentally I felt like I was quite well prepared. Got off to a good start and managed just to keep it going. It was just one of those days when you drain a few putts and things kind of go your way, so it's fun. “I didn't try to hit any super fancy shots. I just played with what I had and I think that was the key to success. Francesco Molinari: “The first is always a tough opening hole. I wasn't too pleased with the bogey but you can easily make more there. It's a tough start, one, two and three, and I think if you get around there one-over par, you're still doing okay. “I played nicely. It wasn't my best maybe to be honest but I saved a few important shots, and took the opportunities when I had them. Obviously very pleased with five-under, it's a very good start. “Obviously they got rid of a few bunkers off the tee which makes it a bit more forgiving but if you hit the ball where the bunkers were, you still have a tough shot. "So there's a bit more of shot-making involved. I think it's pobably more enjoyable for the fans, as well, not to see us just chip it out of the bunker. So I think they made some really good changes. Scott Jamieson: “Bogey-free round which is great here at Wentworth. Obviously, we had the best of the conditions, not a breath of air, and the greens are so good this year. To be the first people on all 18 greens, they are just a great surface to putt on. “I think they have just done such a fantastic job. There's a real premium on hitting the fairways because the greens are firmer.  "If you're not hitting the fairways, you've then got to think very hard about where you want your next shot to go because it's really difficult to get it on the green with a kind of mid-iron. “I think the wind is maybe to blow a bit the next couple days, which will probably firm the golf course up a bit, as well and make it that bit trickier." FIRST ROUND SCOREBOARD par 72 66 J Carlsson (Swe) 67 S Jamieson (Sco) , K Aphibarnrat (Tha) , F Molinari (Ita) 68 S Lowry (Irl) , N Bertasio (Ita) , T Pieters (Bel) , R Fisher (Eng) , B Dredge (Wal) , G Storm (Eng) , B Grace (SAf) , H Stenson (Swe) , A Noren (Swe) 69 D Burmester (SAf) , R Ramsay (Sco) , E De La Riva (Spn) , T Hatton (Eng) , R Sterne (SAf) , L Haotong (Chn) 70 A Dodt (Aus) , L Westwood (Eng) , P Hanson (Swe) , O Fisher (Eng) , M Kieffer (Ger) , F Fritsch (Ger) , M Ilonen (Fin) , B An (SKor) , D Brooks (Eng) , A Björk (Swe) , J Wang (SKor) 71 J Luiten (Ned) , S Hend (Aus) , M Fraser (Aus) , B Wiesberger (Aut) , A Sullivan (Eng) , P Larrazábal (Spn) , P Dunne (Ire) , S Kjeldsen (Den) , B Ritthammer (Ger) , A Levy (Fra) , E Els (SAf) , S Gros (Fra) , J Van Zyl (SAf) , B Hebert (Fra) , D Howell (Eng) , D Horsey (Eng) , A Knappe (Ger) , R Karlberg (Swe) , N Colsaerts (Bel) , N Fasth (Swe) 72 P Lawrie (Sco) , T Jaidee (Tha) , J Rose (Eng) , G Bourdy (Fra) , R Jacquelin (Fra) , J Campillo (Spn) , D Willett (Eng) , J Smith (Eng) , T Fleetwood (Eng) , C Wood (Eng) 73 G Havret (Fra) , D Lipsky (USA) , M Cort (Eng) , L Slattery (Eng) , P Waring (Eng) , P Harrington (Ire) , J Donaldson (Wal) , R Wattel (Fra) , S Chawrasia (Ind) , A Otaegui (Spn) , R Knox (Sco) , A Johnston (Eng) , M Fitzpatrick (Eng) , L Jensen (Den) , J Morrison (Eng) , V Dubuisson (Fra) , T Aiken (SAf) , M Manassero (Ita) , L Bjerregaard (Den) , S Gallacher (Sco) , S Lee (Kor) , A Wall (Eng) , D Clarke (NIr) , G Coetzee (SAf) 74 S Dyson (Eng) , F Aguilar (Chi) , D Fichardt (SAf) , P Uihlein (USA) , W Ormsby (Aus) , A Quiros (Spn) , M Siem (Ger) , M Southgate (Eng) , M Pavon (Fra) , R Fox (NZ) , R Gouveia (Por) , P Peterson (USA) , C Pigem (Esp) , D McGrane (Ire) 75 L Donald (Eng) , J Scrivener (Aus) , R Paratore (Ita) , T Bjørn (Den) , G Hutcheon (Sco) , J Lagergren (Swe) , D Drysdale (Sco) , R Rock (Eng) , M Lorenzo-Vera (Fra) , F Zanotti (Par) , K Broberg (Swe) , P Angles (Spn) , N Elvira (Spn) , M Warren (Sco) , P Khongwatmai (Tha) , G Fox (Sco) , M Korhonen (Fin) 76 H Tanihara (Jpn) , R Langasque (Fra) , Z Lombard (SAf) , M Wallace (Eng) , P Edberg (Swe) , T Immelman (SAf) , B Stone (SAf) , H Otto (SAf) , J Walters (SAf) , I Poulter (Eng) , P Archer (Eng) , M Kaymer (Ger) , R Karlsson (Swe) , C Gane (Eng) , H Porteous (SAf) , R Bland (Eng) 77 R Coles (Eng) , C Hanson (Eng) , E Molinari (Ita) , M Carlsson (Swe) , J Quesne (Fra) , P Streeter (Eng) , D Frittelli (SAf) 78 C Shinkwin (Eng) , G Stal (Fra) , A Cañizares (Spn) , P Hendriksen (Eng) , T Olesen (Den) 79 C Paisley (Eng) , D Im (USA) 80 S Brazel (Aus) 81 S Walker (Eng) 82 N O'Briain (Ire) 83 B Rumford (Aus)