Richard Coughlan managed a sub-par start to the Buick Challenge at the Pine Mountain Golf and Country when shooting a one-under-par 71 - but the Irishman, playing in the last three-ball of the day, trailed first-round leaders Fred Funk and Jim Carter by eight shots after a low-scoring start to the tournament.
Funk had already posted his opening round of 63 before Coughlan got under way in the final group, and Carter later joined Funk at the top of the leaderboard. The duo hold a one-shot lead over Russ Cochran, with Tom Byrum another shot further back. Moneylist leader David Duval is among six players lying three shots adrift of the leader.
Coughlan, despite his 71, will require to go even lower in today's second round if he is to survive the cut in his on-going bid to retain his tour card.
Stephen Gallacher carded a three-under-par 68 to lie in second place after the opening round of the Telia Grand Prix in Sweden.
The 23-year-old Scot is a shot behind local favourite Peter Malmgren but a stroke ahead of another Swede, Johan Annerfelt, Morten Backhausen of Denmark and Frenchman Antoine Lebouc.
