Golf:Northern Ireland's Gareth Maybin came home in just 30 shots as he made a great start to the Portugal Masters at Vilamoura's Oceanico Victoria Golf Course today. The 31-year-old from Belfast made birdies at the second and third and recorded his only dropped shot on the ninth.

That spurred him into action as he reeled off sour straight birdies from the turn. Further gains at the 15th and 17th saw him sign for a seven-under 65 that left him one shot off leader James Kingston on a day of low scoring.

South African Kingston sank nine birdies, with his only blemish coming on the par-three 16th. 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. He told www.europeantour.com: “It was a really nice round of golf. I played really steadily, gave myself so many chances, and it was enjoyable.

“I put the ball in play most of the day, gave myself some really good approach shots into the greens and hit some really good pitch shots.”

There was little to indicate what was in store from an opening seven holes for which he was just one under.

“I felt I could have done a little better earlier in the round, then all of a sudden I made one or two and my tail got in the air,” he added. “I hit some really good iron shots pretty close — five in a row which is nice and then another few coming in.”

Maybin shares second place alongside Simon Khan, Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger and Thomas Bjorn of Denmark and 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, Colin Montgomerie and Padraig Harrington. On a day of low scoring, defending champion Richard Green could only manage a disappointing round of 71.