CASTELLON, Spain (Reuters) - Holder Sergio Garcia defied high winds at his home Mediterraneo course on Thursday to take a one-stroke lead in the Castellon Masters.
Garcia has yet to win this season after being tipped to topple Tiger Woods as world number one early in the year but an eight-under-par 63 gave the Spaniard hope he can end his poor streak.
U.S. Masters champion Angel Cabrera was disqualified for missing his tee-off, despite a frantic dash from Bermuda where he finished second in the Grand Slam event.
The three-hour wind stoppage, which meant 59 players were unable to complete their first round, would have given Cabrera ample time to play but came 12 minutes after his start time.
"He gave it his best," said Garcia, who is also one of the tournament promoters. "We're definitely going to miss him a lot."
A bogey on the last held Garcia in check but he leads Sweden's Michael Jonzon. Twice U.S. Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal and Italy's Emanuele Canonica are a further stroke behind.
"Any time you play your home course you obviously hope and expect to do well," Garcia told Reuters. "But for the last two or three months, I feel everything's coming together more and I'm just looking for that little bit of confidence."
World number 10 Garcia achieved his 63 in two parts, coming in with two holes to go when winds gusting up to 40mph made the course unplayable.
Australian Robert Allenby is a stroke off the lead after 11 holes and Germany's Martin Kaymer, trying to regain top spot on Europe's money list after a nine-week injury layoff, is four-under with six holes to play on Friday morning.
Colin Montgomerie, who had been unhappy at how long play had gone on in the strong gusts, signed for a 70. Europe's Ryder Cup captain dropped three shots as the wind whipped up.
"How I am depends on how I am playing," Montgomerie told Reuters. "Terrible, terrible, that's how it's been the whole season."
The eight-times European number one has slipped to 254th on the world rankings. He is only 98th on Europe's money list, 38 places adrift of qualifying for the Dubai World Championship finale next month.
(Editing by Alison Wildey)
