CAST in the role of the old hand, Eamonn Darcy envied the young nerves of Padraig Harrington after they had both shot 66 to be one stroke off the lead in the £700,000 Desert Classic here yesterday. "If I could putt like Padraig I'd really fancy my chances of winning," said the 1990 champion.

Colin Montgomerie, the holder also envied Harrington's touch with the blade, even after a 20-foot birdie effort had found the target at the 18th for a 65 and a share of the lead with the Spaniard, Domingo Hospital.

"He putts as well as I have ever seen anybody putt," said the world number four. "He seems to be fired up."

The focus of their admiration was a stunning run of five birdies by Harrington from the 12th to the 16th, as evening closed in rapidly on this spectacularly beautiful layout.

As it happened, four of the 10 Irish challengers broke 70. And with a splendid 68, Raymond Burns provided further evidence of his liking of an event in which he finished fifth and eighth on his previous visits. And it represented a joyous homecoming for Jose Maria Olazabal, who is truly back in the competitive arena after a marvellous 69.

Harrington and Darcy took contrasting routes to their scores. In the case of the 44-year-old, there was wily craftsmanship in overcoming two bogeys, while Harrington settled into a steady, bogey-free rhythm after chipping and putting for pars at the opening two holes.

In this, his first challenge in the desert, Harrington was drawn with Montgomerie and Bernhard Langer. "That can work two ways," said the Dubliner. "If you're not on your game you could be crushed. But today, though I was nervous starting out, those two opening pars settled me down and I was really lifted on the back nine."

Then, with a delighted smile, he went on: "That's the first time I've ever had five birdies in a row. Bernhard and Colin are fabulous players and it was really special to have made my contribution to our combined score of 19 under par."

Harrington had 28 putts, which is by no means remarkable in itself. Particularly impressive, however, was the manner in which he holed a 15-footer to save par at the treacherous sixth, a 20-footer for birdie at the 12th and a 25-footer at the 14th. In between, there was a two-putt birdie at the long 13th, and the sequence was maintained by a glorious six-iron to three feet at the 180-yard 15th.

He then set up his finishing score with a birdie on the 16th, where a seven-iron second shot was followed by yet another, beautifully-rolled birdie putt, this time from 15 feet. His best shot of the round, however, was a three-wood of 217 yards, uphill and into the wind at the 467 yards-12th.

Darcy also hit his best shot there. Again it was a three-wood, of 230 yards, which he controlled admirably onto a strong, left to right wind. "That set me up for the round," he said. Having started at the 10th, which he birdied, Darcy followed that effort at the 12th with a 15-foot putt for another birdie.

Now, brimming with confidence, he proceeded to complete three birdies in-a-row by sinking putts of 12 feet and four feet at the 13th and 14th. But the strain began to tell as the round progressed. "I got a bit nervous on the greens and I certainly wasn't comfortable over some tricky ones close in," he admitted.

Still, the lesson he had received from Costantino Rocca earlier in the week was clearly paying dividends. A bogey at the short 15th, where he missed the green, rocked him a little, but he got the shot back at the third, with a wedge to three feet.

"Then I made the worst six you ever saw, he said, referring to a bogey at the long third, where uncharacteristically sloppy wedge play saw him take four to get down from off the right edge of the green.

But for a second time in the round, he had three birdies in a row, this time at the fifth (10 foot putt), sixth (12 feet) and seventh (three feet) to post his score, within minutes of Harrington's finish.

It was perhaps typical of Olazabal's perfectionism that after a fine score in his first competitive round for nearly 18 months, he found fault with his game. "I didn't hit the ball okay, especially a few wild tee shots," he said of a round that contained three birdies in the last four holes. And his damaged foot? "I don't want to talk about that," he replied. "I'm here to talk about golf."

But Raymond Burns ensured that the Irish will be challenging in depth over the next three days. Some really sharp iron play, high into firm greens - "they're like the M 1" - yielded a rich dividend of six birdies.

Paul McGinley also broke 70, with a well-crafted 69 that contained four birdies. His fortunes with the blade were certainly better than those of playing partner Darren Clarke, who three-putted the 16th and 17th for a 73.

The only other Irish player to break par was Christy O'Connor Jnr, with a 71 in which he birdied two of the par fives. Taking painkillers for a damaged left elbow which had kept him out of action since last July, he was clearly delighted to be playing again.