(Reuters) - Englishmen Lee Slattery and Oliver Wilson shared an early one shot lead in the Deutsche Bank Players' Championship of Europe with both aiming for maiden European Tour titles.
Six under par 66s at Gut Kaden left the pair a stroke better than Argentine Ricardo Gonzalez, Spain's Carlos Rodiles, Johan Axgren of Sweden and another Englishman Zane Scotland.
Of the two leaders, Wilson has the better track record. The 26 year old lost a play-off for the Johnnie Walker Classic to South African Anton Haig early in the season and he holds 45th place on The European Tour Order of Merit.
Slattery has had his mind on other things recently with some £30,000 damage was done to his flat at Royal Birkdale in the floods that are ravaging parts of England.
"I bought a flat at Birkdale especially for next year's Open and it's been flooded," Slattery tsaid. "A drain overflowed and the water came in through the front door."
A missed cut last week in The Open hid the good form Wilson expected from himself this week, he said.
"I played really well at Carnoustie," Wilson said. "But didn't get the best of the draw and the better weather.
"I was very disappointed with the result, but this week is just an extension of playing well."
Axgren continued the Swedish interest in the event, won by compatriots Niclas Fasth in 2005 and Robert Karlsson last year.
Another Swede, Henrik Stenson, can recapture The European Tour Order of Merit top spot with victory in Germany. He is four shots off the lead.
Fasth can also replace Open winner Padraig Harrington on top of the Order of Merit with a victory. He had an afternoon tee-off.
Holder Karlsson is three off the lead.
