Graeme McDowell tucked in just two shots off the pace with an opening four under par 69 in the Smurfit European Open at the K Club in Kildare today.
The Ulsterman shot five birdies, only to drop two on the seventh and the eleventh to leave himself two behind the early clubhouse leader Fredrik Andersson, after the Swede shot a 67.
McDowell's start was stark contrast to home favourite, Padraig Harrington, who could only manage a one-over-par 73.
Another who found form was Colin Montgomerie, the Scot returned a four under 68 and later expressed his desire to get back to winning ways. The Scot said: "I am very, very anxious to do very well and I'm looking forward to the next three days. I feel I can win this. The last was unfortunate, but overall I can only say that was a good round."
His first three birdies were all on par threes and Montgomerie, who has had 17 holes-in-one in his life, said: "I'd like to know how many twos there have been as well. It's very rare I have a round without a two. Why? I have a perfect lie because I can tee it up and I'm a good iron player.
Andersson, joint runner-up in Madeira earlier this season but 82nd on the Order of Merit, also had three twos and came home in a three under 32 to set the clubhouse target for the later starters, who included Darren Clarke, Justin Rose and Ryder Cup match-winner Paul McGinley.
Harrington was two under par after three holes but fell away on the front nine with bogeys at the second, third and sixth. He blamed a "shocking" short game rather than the arrival of a rules official to time him and playing partners Philip Golding and Thomas Bjorn.
They had fallen a hole behind the group ahead, but although that is how they finished no penalties were handed out and Harrington, joint runner-up last year after going in the water at the last, said: "It was no problem. Normally I play a little bit better when I'm on the clock.
"I was lacking a bit of short game focus after two weeks off. I read the greens poorly, threw in a couple of three-putts and missed a lot of chances."
However, Harrington was in determined mood going into the €2million event.
"This is one of my top three events in Europe now besides the majors," he said. "For me to win in Ireland would be special - I think Darren is the only one to do it in recent times."
Clarke captured the title two years ago to become the first Irishman to win on native soil since John O'Leary at the 1982 Irish Open.
Golding appeared to suffer a reaction to his emotional French Open victory last Sunday. The 40-year-old, never previously higher than sixth in 200 events and holder of a record 16 trips to the qualifying school, opened with two bogeys and then ran up a triple-bogey seven on the 424-yard 17th to slump to five over.
He did not have a birdie all day and after a bogey on the eighth for a six-over 78 that left him nearly last he said: "It was hard work."
Nick Faldo and Ian Woosnam could do no better than 75s, but alongside Montgomerie on four under were 49-year-old Zimbabwean Mark McNulty and Finland's Mikko Ilonen, who still had three to play.
McNulty was playing with 1995 Ryder Cup hero Philip Walton, who had former Republic of Ireland, Arsenal and Sunderland striker Niall Quinn as his caddie. Walton shot wide a few times in his 74.