BLACKWOOD'S Bradley Dredge is six shots off the lead at the Canary Islands Open in Gran Canaria.

The Welshman fired a first round 72 to leave him on even par, six shots behind early leaders England's David Gilford and Denmark's Soren Hansen.

Dredge is one shot ahead of former US Masters winner, South African Retief Goosen, and three shots in front of golfing legend Spaniard Seve Ballesteros.

US Open champion Goosen Club de Campo is well off the pace and almost certainly needing a sub-par round to even make the halfway cut after missing out on a day of low scoring by carding a one over par 73 yesterday.

Meanwhile, Newport's Phillip Price also shot a 73 in the first round of the Greater Greensboro Classic at the Forest Oaks Country Club in Greensboro, North Carolina. The leader of the event is American Mark Calcavecchia who shot a seven-under-par 65.