Eagle helps hoist Dodd to share of Sicilian lead

This is the first time the European Tour has visited Sicily and the Donnafugata Golf Resort and it was Dodd and Lara who acclimatised quickest to the course.

Dodd’s round included six birdies and an impressive eagle at the par-five 16th, but two bogeys restricted his final score as he aims for his first win on the European Tour since taking the European Open title in 2006, when Lara finished joint second.

Lara’s round started rather unimpressively as he hit a double bogey on the fourth, but nine birdies over the course put him level with Dodd.

The 33-year-old Spaniard has two previous European Tour wins to his name, but his last came much more recently than Dodd as he won last year’s Austrian Open.

England’s Chris Wood and Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin find themselves a shot back in third.

Wood’s compatriots Steve Webster and Anthony Wall are among four players tied for fourth.

Hull’s Richard Finch carded 70, Malton’s Simon Dyson one more and Danny Willett (Sheffield) 74.