Holland and Collins start well in Portugal; Smith in dramatic comeback
Picture Daniel Holland (Castle). Picture by Pat Cashman
Castle's Daniel Holland and Rosslare's Gary Collins got off to a sub-par starts in the Portuguese Amateur Open Championship as Ardee's Eugene Smith produced an dramatic comeback from disaster.
Holland birdied two of his last four holes to open with a one under 71 at Montado Golf Hotel and Resort near Lisbon and was joined on that score by Collins late in the day.
The pair are tied for 23rd, six shots behind Denmark's Christoffer Bring who finished with a hole in one for a 65 and a two-shot lead over Zan Luka Strin of Slovenia, England's Daniel Brown and Edgar Catherine of France on seven under par.
Portmarnock's Geoff Lenehan was level playing the 18th after two birdies and two bogeys but finished with a four to post a 73 that left him tied 40th.
European Amateur champion Ashley Chesters is tied 15th after a two under 70 with Ardee man Smith brilliantly battling back from seven over after seven holes to post a two over 74.
The Co Cavan native birdied the 17th, his eighth, to get back to six over and then covered his back nine in 32.
He played his last five holes in four under, following a birdie at the fifth with an eagle three at the seventh and a birdie at the ninth to share 59th spot on two over.
