Alvaro Quiros carded a five under par 67 to sit just one off the lead after the opening round of the BMW PGA Championship, then revealed a chat with The European Tour's founding father, John Jacobs, had helped his putting.

The Spaniard, a winner on Tour every year from 2007-2011 but with only one top ten finish to his name so far this term, produced six birdies and a single bogey at Wentworth Club, in Surrey.

Renowned for his impressive play from the tee, Quiros believes his improved display on the greens was crucial to better scoring, after talking to golfing legend Jacobs in the build-up to the tournament.

“Probably the key was my putting; it was way, way better than the previous four or five months.

“Yesterday I had a good 15-20 minutes with John, he just gave me a few tips,” he said. “He helps me every single time he watches me. And with the Callaway guys, too, we changed the putter today.

“This is the first week that I've worked with him - I see him more as a friend more than as a coach. He's been working for the Spanish Federation for a while, at the same time that I was an amateur over there - I have a good relationship with him. He's a very nice person. 

“He told me to just release the putt in the proper moment, that's all. It's not that tricky. 

“There's no doubt about it, John is a very important person - he's been there from the beginning of The European Tour.”