Adrian Morrow got his bid for a third Irish Seniors Open victory in six years off the ideal start when he compiled a superb two under par 70 to share the first round lead with England's Alan Mew at spectacular Waterville Golf Links.

The Portmarnock man, winner of four regular "majors" (East 1975, 1983; South 1983, 1996,) took advantage of perfect conditions at the Co Kerry links to put himself in position for yet another title challenge.

Check out the Golffile.ie photo gallery from Waterville

Woodbrook's John L Hughes, playing in the last group of the day, carded a level-par 72 to finish the opening round in solo third.

Another English player, David Lane, carded a 73 and is three shots behind, but leads the Over 70s category while also sharing fourth place overall in the tournament with his countryman, Adrian Donkersley.

The evergreen Tom Cleary of Cork is the next best of the Irish in joint sixth, four strokes off the pace after a 74.

Past winners of the Irish Seniors Amateur Open

Irish Seniors Amateur Open, Waterville Golf Links (Par 72)

70 Adrian Morrow (Portmarnock), Alan Mew (England)

72 John L Hughes (Woodbrook)

73 Adrian Donkersley (England), David Lane (England)

74 Stephen East (England), Tom Cleary (Cork), Andrew Stracey (England), Billy Mitchell (Scotland)

75 Maurice Kelly (Naas)

76 Ian Brotherston (Scotland), John Yuill (England), George Walker (USA), Richard Partridge (England), Hugh Smyth (Mourne), Trevor Gray (England), Brendan McDonnell (K Club)

77 John Mitchell (Tramore), David Mears (England), Jonathan Wright (England), Nuno Pereira Machado (Portugal), Richard Brooker (Skerries), Barry Downing (England), Michael F Galvin (Limerick), George Rodaks (Scotland), Mick Ahern (Skerries), James Johnston (Scotland), Michael Quirke (Doneraile), Glyn Rees (Wales)

78 John Ambridge (England), James Bruce (Scotland), Nigel Duke (Killiney), David Coyle (K Club), Stuart Pond (England), Tony Patterson (Scotland), Barry V. Reddan (Co. Louth), Robert Fox (England), Alan Lilley (Ballyclare)

79 Andrew Carman (England), Lindsay Gordon (Scotland), Neil Kilgallon (European), Patrick Harrington (Muskerry), Garth McGimpsey (Bangor), Mervyn Eager (Lucan), Bob Edgar (Scotland), Kevin Sheehy (Athlone), Robbie Messervy (England), Douglas Cameron (England), Chris Hurst (Ireland), Frank Jules (USA)

80 Brian Bingham (Scotland), Barry O'Leary (Greystones), John Carroll (Bandon), Marcel Grass (Switzerland), Philip Addis (England), Ian Smyth (Clandeboye), Brendan Cashell (Portmarnock)

81 Muir Townsley (Scotland), Richard McDowell (Royal Belfast), Francis Reynolds (Tramore), Noel Patterson (Milltown), Michael Coote (Tralee), Jeffrey Gauff (Canada), Michael Jones (England), Noel Mannion (Dun Laoghaire), David Conway (Portmarnock)

82 Donal O'Herlihy (Douglas), Brian Mills (Clandeboye), Sean McGarry (Ballymena), Andrew Wilmot (England), Tony Hayes (K Club), Tony Goode (Lucan), Rich Tolly (USA), Gerard Maher (Castletroy), Mike Ready (England), Stuart Fawcett (England), Tom Tyrrell (The Heath), Philip Slater (England), Roy Smethurst (England), George Mellerick (Fota Island), Keith Morris (England), John McMeekin (Antrim), Ian Crowther (England), Stewart King (England), Robin Clark (England), Alastair Brown (England)

83 Ian Jeen (Scotland), Enda McMenamin (Ballybofey & Stranorlar), Michael Byrne (England), Declan Corcoran (Thurles), Mark Flynn (USA), Dan Murphy (Youghal), Brendan O'malley (The Royal Dublin), Paddy Lewis (Woodbrook), David Walpole (Milltown), Federico Lang (Italy), Terry Smith (England), John Brazier (England), Joe Kirwan (England), Egidio Rossetti (Italy), Matthew Bayford (England), Denis Martin (England), Brian Whitaker (Elm Park), Tim Jobson (England)

84 Rory Fitzgerald (Tramore), Liam MacNamara (Rosslare), Lord Gort (Isle of Man), Frank Leonard (Knightsbrook), Martin Fell (England), Dermot Morris (Limerick), Kevin Mc Grath (Lahinch), Hugh MacKeown (Portmarnock), Michael Sauter (Germany), Billy Donlon (Birr), Val Smyth (Co. Louth)

85 Rory Timlin (Galway), Joseph Monahan (USA), Patrick Comerford (Corrstown), Donald McCart (Scotland), Brian Grieve (Scotland), Peter Cowley (Cork), Timothy Daggett (England)

86 Sean Sorenson (Ireland), Nigel Woods (Bangor), Stephen Sander (USA), Lionel Berruti (Switzerland), Kieran O'Mahony (Galway)

87 David Cunningham (Royal Belfast), John O'Donoghue (Tipperary)

88 Michael Foley (Faithlegg), Jack Dempsey (Curragh), James Malone (USA), Nigel Hilliard (England), Philip Graham (England), Brendan Barry (Gog Magog), Liam Troy (Thurles), Robert Scott (Canada)

89 Nick O'Byrne (England)

90 Simon Maisey (England), John Baldwin (USA), Kevin Fitzgerald (England)

93 Jonathan Hubbard (England)

94 Mark Pitchford (USA), Brian Fleming (Royal Co. Down)