Irish champions Portmarnock have it all to do after a slow opening day in the European Club Trophy in France.

Geoff Lenehan shot a four-over 75, Darragh Coghlan a 76 and Stephen Walsh a discarded 79 at Golf du Médoc Resort near Bordeaux as the AIG Irish Senior Cup holders posted a nine-over 151 to find themselves 16 strokes behind England’s Castle Royle Golf & Country Club.

David Langley shot a six-under 65 and Timothy Shin a 70 for Castle Royle to leave them one stroke clear of defending champions, Racing Club Paris, on seven-under 135 with Portugal’s Club de Golf de Miramar three shots off the pace on four-under 138.

Langley's 65 gave a three-shot lead in the individual standings over Frederic Lacroix and Raphael Le Bot from the defending champions, Germany's Hurly Long (GC Mannheim-Viernheim) and Miramar's Pedro Cruz Silva.

Denmark's Eisenhower Trophy winner Rasmus Hojgaard and Spain's Eduard Rousaud were in a four-man group tied for sixth, four shots behind Langley after 69s.

Scoring