SHAUN Webster's stop-start season finally got going with a three-under-par 69 in the first round of the Singapore Masters today.

The Canford Magna touring professional chalked up six birdies in his joint best round of the year to stake a share of 32nd place at the Laguna National Golf and Country Club.

"I played all-round solid golf today," said Webster, who has missed the cut in all three of the limited events he has been able to gain entry into so far this year.

"It's not easy to find your rhythm when you're not playing most weeks so it's nice to shoot under par, which is something I haven't done for quite a while.

"I found lots of greens and from a 100 yards out I managed to get within 10 feet and hole the putts.

"The only disappointment was a double-bogey five on the penultimate hole which took the shine off an otherwise good day."

Webster's trouble at the 17th came after his three-iron tee shot found thick rough on the tricky 202-yard hole.

"I played an awful chip shot that just found the putting surface," explained Webster. "I then charged a 10-foot putt for par four feet past and missed the return."

Webster's birdies came at the first, fifth, eighth, 12th, 14th and 15th holes with his only other blemish coming at the third hole.

Fellow Dorset professional Gary Emerson, meanwhile, has left himself an uphill task to qualify for the weekend after an opening three-over-par 75.

Emerson, who has missed the cut by just one shot five times this season, was languishing in a share of 158th place going into Friday's second round.

Australian Marcus Fraser and China's Wen-Chong Liang carded eight-under 64s to top the first-round leader board.

Webster, meanwhile, is hoping for a more consistent run of events on the Tour when it returns to European soil in Madeira later this month.