Irish in the red in Prague
Renato Paratore. Picture: Getty Images
Michael Hoey leads the Irish challenge in the D+D REAL Czech Masters where an eagle two at the 18th handed Eduardo de la Riva a share of the first round lead with Italian teenager Renato Paratore.
The Belfast man made seven birdies in a five under 67 worth a share of seventh place, two strokes behind de la Riva and Paratore, who posted seven under 65s, on a day when all five Irishmen in action broke par at Albatross Golf Resort.
After reaching the turn in 34, the Spaniard caught fire on the back nine, firing birdies on the tenth, 11th and 12th before closing his round with an eagle two at the last to join playing partner Paratore, 18, at the top of the leaderboard.
He said: “It is very good to finish with a two on a par four, especially on this 18th hole which is very difficult. I didn’t have to take a putt on the 18th, so it is a very good finish. It is perfection.
"I played very well in Denmark for the first two rounds and then at the weekend, on the greens I putted very badly.
"I feel good. Today I putted well and the long and short game were good too. It is a nice course and nice weather. The course is in good condition.
“Renato and I are friends. He is a very good young player and it is nice to play with him.”
Paratore carded seven birdies on his way to a flawless 65, his best score on the European Tour to date.
The Italian youngster, who very nearly shot a hole in one at the 16th, was thrilled with his score.
He said: "Today I played really solid from the tee to the green and on the back nine I putted really well. So I’m happy with a 65. It is my best round on the European Tour.”
Simon Thornton, 237th in the Race to Dubai with only the Top 110 earning cards, shot a 69 to share 20th on three under with 44-year old Damien McGrane, who is 183rd in the money list.
Kevin Phelan, who at 105th in the Race to Dubai still needs some good finishes to regain his card, is tied 38th after a 70.
But it was more of a battle for 117th ranked Peter Lawrie, who had to scramble well to post a one under 71 for a share of 52nd.
Complete first round scores (par 72)
65 E De La Riva (Esp), R Paratore (Ita)
66 T Pieters (Bel), M Fitzpatrick (Eng), P Edberg (Swe), S Hutsby (Eng)
67 M Foster (Eng), S Jamieson (Sco), M Hoey (Nir), K Broberg (Swe), P Oriol (Esp), T Olesen (Den), J Garcia Pinto (Esp), R Kakko (Fin)
68 D Im (USA), B Ritthammer (Ger), P Relecom (Bel), L Slattery (Eng), C Lee (Sco)
69 J Lagergren (Swe), D McGrane (Irl), E Pepperell (Eng), F Praegant (Aut), R Dinwiddie (Eng), C Paisley (Eng), J Barnes (Eng), S Thornton (Irl), F Mruzek (Cze), C Doak (Sco), J McLeary (Sco), D Brooks (Eng), S Wakefield (Eng), F Fritsch (Ger), D Dixon (Eng), D Drysdale (Sco), G Boyd (Eng), S Henry (Sco)
70 P Whiteford (Sco), P Uihlein (USA), D Horsey (Eng), R Karlberg (Swe), J Parry (Eng), C Bouniol (Fra), G Bourdy (Fra), R Finch (Eng), J Sjöholm (Swe), G Storm (Eng), D Fichardt (RSA), K Phelan (Irl), P Meesawat (Tha), C Del Moral (Esp)
71 M Decottignies-Lafon (Fra), A Saddier (Fra), B Evans (Eng), P Hanson (Swe), P Lawrie (Irl), D Lipsky (USA), A Tadini (Ita), M Tullo (Chi), S Griffiths (Eng), S Hansen (Den), M Ford (Eng), J Lara (Esp), J Makitalo (Fin), E Espana (Fra), V Riu (Fra), J Walters (RSA), A Pavan (Ita), A Hansen (Den), S Kapur (Ind), H Otto (RSA), T Lewis (Eng), J Knutzon (USA), M Madsen (Den), L Jensen (Den), O Fisher (Eng)
72 M Schneider (Ger), R Gonzalez (Arg), S Chawrasia (Ind), J Hahn (USA), S Kim (USA), T Murray (Eng), G Porteous (Eng), J Scrivener (Aus), A Wall (Eng), A Otaegui (Esp), O Henningsson (Swe), M Lundberg (Swe), B Hebert (Fra), V Dubuisson (Fra), C Shinkwin (Eng), G Bhullar (Ind), C Arendell (USA), B Stow (Eng), D Stewart (Sco), N Holman (Aus)
73 M Jonzon (Swe), D Suchan (Cze), R Fox (Nzl), T Pilkadaris (Aus), J Edfors (Swe), R Bland (Eng), S Fallon (Eng), A Velasco (Esp), S Dodd (Wal), S Benson (Eng), N Quintarelli (Ita), R Evans (Eng), P Maddy (Eng), J Lando Casanova (Fra), S Matus (Cze), P Peterson (USA), R Coles (Eng), N Colsaerts (Bel), M Lampert (Ger), V Novak (am) (Cze)
74 N Fasth (Swe), C Lloyd (Eng), O Farr (Wal), M Novy (Cze), B Dredge (Wal), A Hortal (Esp), D Gaunt (Aus), C Pigem (Esp), D Woltman (USA), J Roos (RSA), M Bremner (RSA), M Nixon (Eng), A Ahokas (Fin)
75 P Archer (Eng), V Phillips (Eng), A Korinek (Cze), C Suk (Cze), M Korhonen (Fin), A Rajmont (Cze), J Morrison (Eng), T Van Der Walt (RSA), M Crespi (Ita), M Brezovsky (am) (Svk)
76 J Colomo (Esp), L Bjerregaard (Den), J Singh (Ind), P Gal (Cze)
77 J Huldahl (Den), D Van Tonder (RSA), R McEvoy (Eng), L Tintera (Cze), J Janda (Cze)
78 R McGowan (Eng), R Santos (Por)
79 A Gee (Eng), E Goya (Arg), M Pospisil (am) (Cze)
80 A Pavlov (Rus), P Dedek (am) (Cze), J Friesz (am) (Svk)
