International Justin Kehoe matched a two-hours-old course record at the Valley Course at Royal Portrush yesterday in the opening round of the Carlsberg North of Ireland Amateur Championship.

Early in the morning Ballymena rugby player Alex McCloy carded a five-under-par 65 to set up the record but shortly afterwards Kehoe, playing in the competition for the first time, matched McCloy's fine start.

The 21-year-old plus-one handicapper from Birr birdied the first and fourth holes from six feet and one foot but his early charge was halted when he buried his four-wood teeshot in rough at the short sixth hole to run up a bogey four. However he wedged stiff at the ninth for a birdie three to turn two under par and then rattled off birdies at the 10th, 14th and 16th holes.

At the 10th, he pitched to eight feet for a birdie four, wedged to six feet for a three at the 14th and then slotted home a 20-footer on the 16th green for another birdie three.

McCloy's earlier show began with a dramatic eagle two at the first hole when his pitching wedge from 125 yards disappeared into the cup. He then birdied the long fourth with a pitch and run to five feet but suffered bogeys at the sixth and eighth holes. However he stormed over the back nine with four birdies to set up the record of 65 - five under - which actually matched a score of some years ago by Michael Hoey Senior but since then the 16th hole has been lengthened.

The higher handicap players were on the Dunluce track yesterday with the four handicapper Barry O'Halloran from Royal Dublin setting the pace there. He handed in a one-under-par 71.

After today's second test 61 players will have qualified for the matchplay stages and they will be joined by Irish team members Graeme McDowell, Tim Rice and Michael McDermott.