There was a distinctly Irish feel at the top of the Deutsche Bank - SAP Open TPC of Europe leaderboard today as a trio of Irishmen command three of the top four spots in Hamburg.
Padraig Harrington continued his recent rich vein of form and leads on seven under after a flawless opening seven under par 65. Last week's runner-up at the Benson & Hedges International Open said the difference was finding his touch on the greens.
"Last Sunday I putted well but couldn't make anything. Today was the opposite, at one stage I wasn't even lining anything up, just hitting up the left side and the putts were going in."
It wasn't all plain sailing for the Irishman who admitted to struggling off the tee: "I really struggled off the tee big-time - I hardly hit a fairway and for some reason was not generating much power."
Harrington's closest challenger for most of the day had been fellow Irishman, Darren Clarke, after he closed with a brace of birdies for a 67. However, Retief Goosen, one of the afternoon starters, stormed out of the blocks and wedged himself in between Clarke and Dubliner Peter Lawrie on six under.
Lawrie also finished late in the day and a closing birdie at the ninth, his last, left him within two shots of his fellow Dubliner after he matched Clarke's 67. The Challenge Tour graduate really has found his feet on the main Tour since his runner-up spot in the Spanish Open several weeks ago.
Harrington played alongside Tiger Woods, who made his first trip to European soil this season in pursuit of his third consecutive title win in Hamburg. Woods settled for a round of 69.
"I just wanted to shoot something under par the way the wind was blowing. It was howling out there," said Woods before paying compliments to his playing partner.
"Paddy (Harrington) putted beautifully. He made two long bombs and made everything else he needed to. And his bad shots are now not as bad as they used to be. He's done a good job on that."
Harrington didn't appear bothered by the distractions that often comes with playing alongside Woods: "I'm always doing my own thing anyway, so I try to just treat the situation as though I'm playing with any other player in the tournament."
"I always hope that I perform whoever I'm paired with. But as it was Thursday - early in the week - I was reasonably relaxed, so I was still able to look at what he was doing."
Clarke revealed he picked up a putting tip from fellow stablemate Lee Westwood: "Lee (Westwood) gave me a putting tip yesterday, then I missed a four-footer on the first green. It was getting frustrating early on, but then came five birdies in the last seven."
Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell returned a two under 70 earlier in the day, one shot better than Ryder Cup hero Paul McGinley while Ronan Rafferty bogeyed the 17th and 18th for a two over 74.
Elsewhere Colin Montgomerie finished alongside Woods on 69, but home favourite Bernhard Langer had to settle for a 72.