As early starters, Howell, Clarke and Karlsson would have no trouble completing their rounds, but it looked increasingly likely they would be nothing to write home about.

Playing in the same group, the trio started on the back nine and all failed to break par, Howell and Karlsson out in level-par 35 and Clarke one over.

Clarke had at least managed two birdies on the 10th and 14th, but also dropped shots on the 12th, 13th and 18th, the latter coming after his drive unfortunately trickled off the sloping fairway into a bunker.

From there he did find the putting surface but three-putted from long range, missing from inside three feet for par.

A birdie on the first took the 39-year-old back to level par, but a double bogey on the par-three third soon followed to leave Clarke two over par, six behind the leading trio of Mikko Ilonen, Daniel Vancsik and unknown Belgian amateur Pierre Relecom.

Howell is bidding to put a “debacle” of a season behind him after back and wrist injuries have seen him sidelined for long periods, the 32-year-old currently lying just 127th on the Order of Merit and 77th in the world rankings.

He has not enjoyed a top-20 finish all season and that trend looked set to continue as he slumped to three over par with a hat-trick of bogeys from the second.

Karlsson was the best of the illustrious trio at level par while the other two members of last year’s Ryder Cup team, Lee Westwood and Paul Casey, were among the afternoon starters.

Wales’ Bradley Dredge, winner by eight shots here last year, was putting up a good defence of his title at two under par after 14 holes.