Banbridge's Richard Kilpatrick is just two shots behind leader Steve Uzzell after the first round of the Kingspan Concra Wood Open.

Uzzell posted a six-under-par 66 in the HotelPlanner.com PGA EuroPro Tour event in Castleblayney to lead by one from Hornsea Golf Club's Liam Murray.

Scores

Kilpatrick fired seven birdies — including five in a row from the 11th — in a 68 to share third spot with Englishmen Rory Walsh (Ashton-on-Mersey) and Ryan Brown (Worksop) in an event that carries a £40,000 prize fund with £10,000 going to the winner.

Uzzell, who celebrated his 31st birthday on Tuesday, began on the 10h tee and was five under for his first nine, thanks in part to an eagle at the 15th.

He made two bogeys on his back nine – at two and six, but birdies at one, four and eight helped him to an opening-round 66, six under par.

Jonny Caldwell (69) is tied sixth with Colm Moriarty (70) 12th, Rick Weldon (71) tied 13th and Cian Curley (72) tied 25th and a day when seven Irish players shot in the 80s.

Kingspan Concra Wood Open

Leading scores

66 Steve Uzzell 

67 Liam Murray 

68 Rory Walsh, Richard Kilpatrick, Ryan Brown

69 Jonny Caldwell

Other Irish

70 Colm Moriarty

71 Richard Weldon

72 Cian Curley 

73 Tim Rice

74 Mark Murphy, Paul Cutler

75 David Rawluk, Mark Morrissey (a), Brian McCormack 

76 Danny Sugrue

77 Finbar O'Hagan, Wayne Telford, Aaron Kearney

78 Ciaran Lavery, Stephen Grant

79 Michael Kelly, Aaron Grant

80 Andy Hogan

82 Richard O'Donovan

83 Ciaran Smyth

84 Brian Sweeney, 

85 Graham McDonnell

87 Simon Ward, 

89 Niall Mahony