PORTUGAL MASTERS:SOUTH AFRICA'S James Kingston was on top of the pile at eight under par after day one of the Portugal Masters saw 31 players achieve a score of five under or better.
It was a good day for Irish and British golfers as the day ended with 13, including Pádraig Harrington and Colin Montgomerie, within three strokes of the lead, highlighted by Gareth Maybin, Simon Khan and Rhys Davies, who each claimed a share of second at seven under.
Harrington was joined on five under by Peter Lawrie and Gary Murphy, while Damien McGrane and Shane Lowry were just one shot back, on 68. Paul McGinley was the only Irish man over par, after his 74,
But it was Kingston who led the field after a round which included nine birdies and a bogey.
The South African picked up a shot on the fourth, but it was a run of five birdies from the eight which formed the backbone of his round.
His back nine included six birdies, with the only blemish coming at the par-three 16th.
There was little to indicate what was in store from an opening seven holes for which he was just one under.Starting at the 10th, Khan appeared to have undone much of his good work as bogeys at the 16th and 18th saw him turn at one under.
But he was faultless from there on in with four further birdies and an eagle at the par-four fourth giving him a round of 65.
That was enough for a share of second alongside Davies, Maybin, Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger and Thomas Bjorn of Denmark.
Maybin will look to continue the increasingly impressive form of Northern Irish golfers over the rest of the weekend.
He said: “Obviously there’s a boom at the minute, especially with Michael (Hoey) getting a great win at the Dunhill.
“Someone tells me it’s the Guinness, but it’s a good crop of players and they’re shining at the minute.”
Germany’s Martin Kaymer has the chance to steal a march in the Race to Dubai standings with the four players above him – Luke Donald, Rory McIlroy, Charl Schwartzel and Lee Westwood – taking the week off.
He was well positioned after day one on five under, in a tie for 16th alongside, among others, Montgomerie and Harrington.
SIMON Thornton’s bid to secure a place in the European Challenge Tour’s end of season top 10 were given a huge boost by his opening round of four under par 67 at the Roma Golf Open.
The Newcastle based professional is 15th in the rankings and in position to win one of the 20 available European Tour cards on offer through the final rankings at the end of the season.
A top ten finish would, however, guarantee the 34-year-old the best possible category on Tour next year and he is tied eighth, four shots behind Frenchman Anthony Grenier.
Colm Moriarty posted a frustrating level par 71. In need of a top three finish to join Thornton at the Challenge Tour Grand Final in three weeks, Moriarty will have to go low over the next three days.
Niall Kearney posted an opening score of 80.
