Former Walker Cup star Cormac Sharvin opened with a four under 66 to claim the lead in the Irish PGA Championship at Monkstown.
The Elm Park professional (pictured above in his amateur days a decade ago) made an eagle two at the fourth as well as six birdies and four bogeys in an adventurous round.
He tops the leaderboard by a shot from Colm Moriarty and by two from three-time champion Simon Thornton.
Defending champion Niall Kearney, who is seeking his fourth win in the event, shot 73.
Irish Professional Championship, sponsored by Brown & Brown Insurance Brokers, Monkstown GC (Par 70)
Round one
1 66 (-4) IRL C Sharvin (Dublin)
2 67 (-3) IRL C Moriarty (Athlone)
3 68 (-2) IRL S Thornton (Newcastle)
T4 70 (E) IRL T Rice (Ross Brien), IRL B McGovern (Kells)
T6 71 (+1) IRL J Bolger (Kilkenny), IRL S Irwin (Cork), NIR N Grant (Lisburn), IRL J Quinlivan (Mullingar)
T10 72 (+2) IRL D Higgins (Waterville), IRL A Hickey (Galway)
T12 73 (+3) IRL B McCormack (Tullamore), IRL W O'Callaghan (Carrigaline, Cork), IRL C Geraghty (Dundalk), IRL N Kearney (Dublin 13), IRL R Kilpatrick (Banbridge)
T17 74 (+4) IRL N McGlynn (Dublin), IRL C McNamara (Douglas), IRL B McElhinney (Burnfoot)
20 75 (+5) IRL D Ryan (Little Island)
T21 76 (+6) IRL D Sugrue (Glenbeigh), IRL J Dillon (Navan), IRL N O'Briain (Dublin), IRL M McGeady (Derry)
T25 77 (+7) IRL D Burke (Clonmel), IRL C O'Gorman (Dundrum), IRL E Doyle (Carlow), IRL K Shannon (Forkhill Co. Armagh), IRL S Quinlan (Dublin)
T30 78 (+8) IRL E Byrne (Dublin), IRL P Eivers (Cahir), ENG R Giles (Newry), IRL D Mortimer (Knocknacarra)
T34 79 (+9) IRL P Geraghty (Mountkennedy), E O'Connor (Daingean, Co Offaly)
T36 80 (+10) IRL E O'Brien, NIR D Mooney
38 86 (+16) IRL A Dunmore (Bundoran)
WD IRL N Murray
Key:
IRL = Ireland
NIR = Northern Ireland
ENG = England
E = Even par
WD = Withdrawn
Article Link: Sharvin leads Irish PGA after opening 66 at Monkstown - News - Irish Golf Desk