Damien McGrane kicked off the 2011 European Tour Season at Leopard Creek in South Africa with a level par first round at the Alfred Dunhill Championship to lead the Irish challlengers on Thursday in 45th place.
Michael Hoey of Northern Ireland was two shots further adrift following a 74 and a round that included a double bogey - at the par three sixteenth hole - to end the day 2 over par.
Gary Murphy is also two over after carding a 74 in his first event since the European Tour School Stage 2 in Spain.
Jonathan Caldwell continues his struggle this season - in which success at Stage 2 Q School also eluded him - with an opening round in Malelane of 6 over par 79 – which included four bogeys, a double bogey and then a triple at the 15th.
South Africa's Anthony Michael holds a one shot lead after his morning round of 66 proved enough to set the pace in the first event of The 2011 Race to Dubai with a six under par to put him one stroke clear of compatriot Dawie Van der Walt, Norway's Marius Thorp, Robert Rock and Sebastian Buhl at Malelane.
"I find that I play very well under pressure," he said "I've always just enjoyed the pressure and I enjoy having people around me."
England's Rock has had three runner-up finishes on The European Tour but is yet to taste victory, although he boosted his chances with a five under 67. He carded five birdies and kept his card bogey-free courtesy of an impressive up-and-down at the 17th.
Buhl was a Challenge Tour regular last season and the 26 year old German took his chance to shine on the big stage with six birdies against a single dropped shot.
Thorp graduated from last season's Challenge Tour and kicked off his maiden European Tour campaign with an impressive round boosted by four closing birdies, including a chip in at the par three 16th.
Van der Walt atoned for a bogey on the 11th - his second hole of the day - with a burst of four birdies in the next seven holes to turn in 34 and added two more birdies on the way in.
Last year's Challenge Tour Number One Alvaro Velasco, his fellow Spaniard Rafael Cabrera Bello, South Africans Keith Horne and Andrew Giorgiou and Swede Klas Eriksson were a shot further back on four under.
Defending champion Pablo Martin recovered from a disappointing front nine to finish the day three shots off the pace.
He eagled the driveable par four sixth after hitting his tee shot within a foot, birdied the second and fourth but double bogeyed the ninth after finding water.
"I'm happy," said Martin. "How can I not be happy after that flight and that score?" He had travelled from New York to defend his title.
The man Martin beat in last year's victory, Charl Schwartzel, had a round of mixed fortunes, but, like Martin, he finished strongly with a birdie on the 18th for a 70.
"It's still very early," said the 2004 winner. "I just didn't get going, and if it gets going soon, it will quickly be something like six under.
