ENGLISHMAN Robert Rock was the early leader at the ISPS Wales Open, writes Michael Pearlman.

Rock has so far made four birdies and not dropped a shot through 11 holes, having started on the back nine.

He leads by a single stroke from Denmark’s Espen Kofstad. Kofstad would be the third Dane to win the Wales Open if he could achieve his first European Tour win.

A quartet of Englishman, Chris Wood, Mark Foster and Danny Willett, were also at three under par at 11.30am.

Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley was level par through 15 and Newport’s big hope, Phillip Price, was also level par after nine holes.

However, popular Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez has made a poor start, at three over par.