Peter Lawrie was floundering after nine holes, two over par and struggling to focus on the task in hand. A metaphorical kick in the derrière mentally, 30 shots to negotiate the front nine at Baltray, his back nine, and suddenly he had propelled himself to five under for the tournament.

John O'Leary's triumph in the 1982 Irish Open, the last by an Irishman in this tournament, is something of a millstone, but Lawrie doesn't feel encumbered by expectation. He started well last year at Portmarnock, so he's aware that it is simply that, a start.

The turning point of yesterday's fortunes was relatively mundane. "I hit a really good shot into the second, a three-iron, after getting lucky to miss the bunker off the tee. I holed the putt (for eagle) and after that everything just started to work.

"On the fourth I hit a sandwedge to eight feet, the fifth was a five-iron to 20 feet. On the sixth I hit driver and seven-iron. I had played with Gary (Murphy) last Wednesday and had the exact same putt and the pin was cut in a similar position. I missed it on Wednesday but holed it today (for eagle)."

Another birdie on the eighth allowed him to record his lowest nine-hole score as a professional. "I just started to hole a few putts; didn't hit it any differently and got a bit of confidence. I'm delighted with myself. It's a good start to an Irish Open."

His familiarity with the course from his amateur days nurtured some preconceptions but he was quickly disabused of some of those on the greens.

"I was actually surprised because I thought the greens were going to be that little bit quicker. The downwind putts were quite fast, but (in general) they were just a nice pace. There was nothing scary about them. I think that over the weekend, with the good weather forecast, we are going to see some fast greens."

He conceded that there is a certain amount of pressure for the Irish professionals, not least a strong desire to win coupled with the sea of familiar faces that dot the links. He admitted with a smile that he tries not to notice the nods and winks but can't help it. A break in London last week with his wife, Philippa, has contributed to his relaxed demeanour.

He received commendable support from an Irish perspective from Waterville's David Higgins, whose run of four birdies and an eagle in six holes on the front nine, eventually culminated in a four under par 68.

"You have to make your score at the beginning and after that bogey (at the second) I went on that run," Higgins said.

Dropped shots on nine and 11 threatened to undermine his round but he redressed any listing ambition with a birdie on the 16th. "It (the back nine) was tougher and I didn't play great but hung in there. I hit a couple of poor shots but chipped and putted; I was pleased with that."

Higgins "knows this place like the back of my hand". His form, domestically, has also been outstanding, winning his last five pro-ams. "I was playing well coming into it, playing well since the start of the year."

On three Challenge Tour starts this season he has managed two 30ths and a missed cut.

"If I could I would be playing (on the Challenge Tour) every week. I have a card but not a very good one. If I could get in (to a tournament) I would even go on a Tuesday."

Gary Murphy encapsulated his one under par 71 thus: "Played horrifically. I was hanging in there. I was just hitting the ball left all day long."

As to his trials and tribulations on the final hole, Murphy conceded: "I pulled a seven-iron into the trap, hit a bad bunker shot and a bad putt. 71 was pretty poor really. I just hit a lot of bad shots."