Damien McGrane carded an eight under par round on day one of the Estoril Open de Portugal to share the lead with English Amateur Champion and 2009 Walker Cup player, Luke Goddard, at Pennha Longa Golf Club one shot clear of Stuart Manley of Wales and Eirik Tage Johansen of Norway.
McGrane picked up three birdies by the time he reached the turn and then added three more shots on holes 11, 12 and 13 to go six under. With another two birdies on the 15th and 16th the Meath man reached the club house in 64 shots.
Goddard, who only got an invite on Monday, started on the tenth and eagled his second hole turning in 32 shots and then birdied his last four holes to match McGrane's bogey-free round.
Gary Murphy birdied the opening hole and the fourth hole with a bogey on the 6th only going to the ninth where he double bogeyed to make the turn in 37. But two birdies on the back nine brought him back to one under par for the day in 47th place.
Simon Thornton of Team Ireland had an early start and played seventeen holes in regulation with only one dropped shot on the par four 3rd hole to sign for a 73 and 1 over.
Darren Clarke opened with a double bogey on the 1st hole and dropped another shot on the 3rd to reach halfway in 38 shots then dropped another shot on the back nine to finish with a 75 on 3 over for the day.
Hugo Santos is the leading Portuguese player on 2 under.
