Paul Broadhurst set a stiff target for the rest of the field with a six-under-par 66 on the opening day of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth today.

The 41-year-old former Ryder Cup player, without a top-10 finish all season, was in the sixth group out and made the most of the ideal early conditions by starting with five birdies in the first eight holes. Broadhurst, who narrowly missed out on a return to the European side after a 15-year gap last year, did bogey the ninth, but further birdies came on the 11th and long 17th.

He was one shot ahead of playing partner and fellow Englishman Simon Khan, Italy's Francesco Molinari and Marcus Fraser of Australia. World number five Ernie Els, Yang Yong-eun of South Korea, India's Jyoti Randhawa and Finn Mikko Ilonen shared fifth place on 68.

Khan, the 2004 Wales Open champion, was runner-up to David Howell in the event last May but is perhaps still best known as the player fined a record £8,000 for slow play in Ireland two years ago.

Broadhurst was delighted with his score because he described his performance in the Irish Open last week, where he missed the cut by three, as "an absolute horror".

"That's definitely my best round here," Broadhurst said. "I've been struggling and searching for answers, so I forget about technique and just tried to score."

Khan, 34, did not drop a stroke to par as he blitzed his way to a five-birdie 67. "There is no doubt this is our biggest tournament bar the British Open," he said. "I feel like I am playing at home and to shoot well around Wentworth is great."

Els, who masterminded the recent changes to the course and has a house on the Wentworth estate, compiled eight birdies. The South African's progress was slowed however by a double-bogey six at the ninth..

"I almost feel like I am hosting the tournament," Els said. "Everybody's coming towards me. Some of the players don't like some of the changes but most come back with positive things."