By Paul Gallagher
Jonathan Lomas leads the way on the first day of the Scottish PGA Championship at Gleneagles and the Englishman’s six-under par round was assisted by an albatross on the back nine.
The highlight of the 33-year-old’s 66 was a three-under par two at the 502 yard par five 12th. By holing his second shot he also doubled his tally after reaching the turn in three-under 33. He picked up birdies at the second, fifth and eighth to complete the flawless round on the prestigious Perthshire parkland.
The 1996 Czech Open winner is closely followed by two of his countrymen, Justin Rose and Warren Bennett, while Bathgate’s Stephen Gallacher is flying the flag for the host nation. At five-under par the trio trail Lomas by just the one shot.
Kilkenny’s Gary Murphy is one shot further back after firing an impressive 68 to share fifth place with the European Ryder Cup captain Sam Torrance.
Murphy, who badly needs a good week to boost his lowly 235th position on the Order of Merit, made all the progress on the front nine. Birdies at the second, sixth, eighth and ninth gave him an outward half of 32. From there he returned in level par with nine straight pars.
"I played solid today after getting off to a flying start," said Murphy who realises his need to have a good week.
"My situation is the opposite of the glamour end and I need to have a good week because I am way down the money list."
Elsewhere, it was really a game of two halves for the 1989 Order of Merit winner Ronan Rafferty. Aspiring to make his first cut of the season, the 37-year-old looked on course with an impressive front side in four-under 32 which included a run of three birdies from the seventh.
However, a horrible run of bogeys at the 13th, 14th, a double-bogey at the 16th and a final bogey at the 17th brought Rafferty right back down to earth. His 73 leaves him in familiar territory on the wrong side of par at one-over.
David Higgins and Des Smyth were both one-under after playing two and four holes respectively. They may not get to finish their round today as play was delayed for several hours due to fog this morning.
The final Irish representative, Eamonn Darcy, opened with three pars to remain level par.