Rory McIlroy stormed to the top of the Omega European Masters' first-round leaderboard today with the finest round of his professional career - an eight-under par 63 - giving him a three-shot lead in the clubhouse.

His effort fell a shot short of the the official European Tour record for Crans-sur-Sierre in the Swiss Alps, although before it was redesigned Baldovino Dassu and Jamie Spence both scored 60.

With the day's play still in progress the Northern Ireland teenager, top amateur at last year's Open, was three clear of Argentinian Julio Zapata and Welsh pair Garry Houston and Kyron Sullivan.

Miguel Angel Jimenez - the only member of Nick Faldo's Ryder Cup team in the field and favourite for the tournament - was just two off the lead teeing off on the 16th but three successive bogeys saw him fall back down the field.

Dubliner, Peter Lawrie, stayed among the chasing pack with six birdies in a four-under par round. The other Irishmen in the tournament David Higgins and Gay Murphy were two over after their first rounds.

Speaking after his round, McIlroy, who has yet to make a cut since failing to qualify for The Open last July, said it was "about time".

"Golf's such a fickle game. I could go and play better than that and shoot level par."

"I've done a lot of work in the last few weeks — I've had a lot of time on my hands at weekends!" he added.

"I feel like I've been hitting it really well, but the results have not shown it," the 19-year-old Co Down man said.

His previous lowest round on the circuit was 66, but in his amateur days he had an amazing 61 at Royal Portrush.