FRANCE’S VICTOR Dubuisson held a two-shot lead at the end of the opening day of the Ballantine’s Championship in Icheon, South Korea, as windy conditions made scoring difficult for the field in the co-sanctioned event.

The Frenchman did suffer a double bogey on the par-four fourth, his 13th hole, but mixed eight birdies with two bogeys in a round of 68.

That left Dubuisson on four under, two ahead of a group of five players which includes English pair Paul Casey and Mark Foster.

Casey picked up four shots with bogeys at the ninth and 11th holes, while Foster also had four birdies and two dropped shots to card 70.

Scotland’s Richie Ramsey had a double bogey on the fifth, his 14th, but sank five birdies to lie on two under, with Welshman Jamie Donaldson on the same mark after dropping a shot on the 18th. Local favourite Jung Ji-ho completed the group.

Eleven players were tied for seventh on one under, among them Oliver Fisher and Ross Fisher of England, and Paul McGinley.

McGinley started off with a bogey at the 10th but picked up a shot on the 18th before making back-to-back birdies on the fifth and sixth to move to two under. A bogey on the par-four eighth saw the Dubliner sign for 71.

Gareth Maybin made it to three under par after three birdies on his front nine, but handed two of those back with bogeys at the 10th and 11th before slipping back to level par for the day with a further bogey at the 17th.

Damien McGrane made bogeys on his final two holes, the eighth and ninth, in a one-over-par 73, while Shane Lowry was a shot further back after his opening round.

Newly-wed Darren Clarke saw no change in his fortunes on the course as he carded a five-over 77 that included six bogeys and just a single birdie.