Australian golfer Peter O'Malley was one stroke from the lead after the opening round of the European Tour's BMW Open.

South Africa's two-time US Open champion Retief Goosen grabbed the lead at 6-under-par 66 and Colin Montgomerie boosted his Ryder Cup chances by joining the joint second place men.

On a cold, rainy day that kept scores high, Goosen recorded eight birdies and two bogeys at the $US2.2 million ($A3.13 million) event, where the European players are scrambling in their last chance to qualify for the Ryder Cup.

At stake are four open berths on the 12-man squad to play the Americans next month in Oakland Hills, Michigan. Also undecided are Bernhard Langer's two captain's picks, for which Montgomerie is a candidate.

Goosen played his first round of golf since injuring his leg during a jet ski accident after the British Open five weeks ago. He jumped into the lead with five birdies and a bogey in his closing seven holes.

"It still hurts a little when I walk," Goosen said. "I'm really surprised at the way I hit the ball today, really solid. I thought it would be worse."

Montgomerie shared second at 67 with O'Malley, England's David Lynn and American John Daly, a positive start to ending a slump that includes last week's 58th finish at the NEC Invitational.

He had been struggling with his putting, but today the Scotsman's steady play around the greens helped him save a lot of pars and finish a bogey-free round.

"It was quite difficult out there, the wind is swirling and it is heavy conditions," Montgomerie said. "I always pride myself on the fact that I don't make bogeys."

Daly put together six birdies against a bogey on the windy day, saying the course was much tougher than in 2001, when he won with a record 27-under-par 261.

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