WORCESTERSHIRE golfer John Bickerton made a dream start to the Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond today.

The 33-year-old Droitwich player shared the lead on three under after 11 holes, having birdied the fourth, seventh and ninth.

Bickerton, who has yet to win a European Tour event, knows that a good finish will see him gain automatic qualification for next week's Open at Muirfield.

Glasgow amateur Barry Hume, 20, who teed off in the first group of the day, shared top spot after 15 holes, along with 21-year-old Justin Rose, a winner four times already this season, who had three birdies in his first five to wipe out the memory of his second round 81 in the Smurfit European Open in Ireland last week.