England’s David Carter was the early clubhouse leader in the Benson & Hedges International Open at the Belfry after an opening 68 today while Ronan Rafferty was, surprisingly, the top Irishman of the morning starters.
Carter, who squeezed out Colin Montgomerie in a play-off to win the Irish Open at Druids Glen in 1998, bogeyed the first but from there the Englishman never looked back.
Five birdies and no dropped shots, including a brace at the 16th and 17th, completed the 29-year-old's four-under round.
England’s Barry Lane, Welshman Jamie Donaldson and Sweden’s Jarmo Sandelin formed the chasing pack in second on three-under 69.
Paul McGinley made a sluggish start to his campaign with a double bogey six at the 10th, his first, to create an immediate uphill task for the Dubliner. Two further dropped shots were cancelled out with birdies at the fifth and 16th as the 34-year-old signed-off for an opening 74.
"I've done well considering I started with a double-bogey and putted like a blind man," said McGinley who was joint runner-up in this event 12 months ago behind Sweden's Henrik Stenson.
Matters were no better for Darren Clarke as the 1998 winner also posted a two-over 74. Like McGinley, Clarke had to rectify an early double-bogey this time at the par three 12th, his third, after a back nine start.
The Tyroneman dropped another shot and turned in three-over 39. Optimism returned by way of back-to-back birdies at the third and fourth, his 12th and 13th, but a bogey at the last confirmed the false dawn.
"Everything was bad. Shocking. Ridiculously bad. All those asterisks, things you can't print," said a disappointed Clarke. Both he and McGinley have much work still to do.
It will come as a surprise to most Irish supporters, perhaps even the player in question, that Ronan Rafferty was the leading Irishman of the early starters.
The former European number one in 1989 covered the Brabazon course in level par 72 with a balanced round including three birdies, as many dropped shots and the rest pars.
Veterans Eamonn Darcy and Des Smyth alongside Padraig Harrington and Michael Hoey are among the afternoon starters.