Walker Cup prospect Paul Cutler showed windswept Shannon maximum respect as he opened with a three under par 69 to share the lead with Dunmurry’s Darren Crowe in the first strokeplay edition in the history of the Golfsure sponsored Irish Amateur Close Championship.

The reigning West of Ireland champion holed out from 95 yards for an eagle two at the 13th and mixed four birdies with three bogeys on a day when just five players in the 156-strong field broke par on the tight but pristine parkland beauty hard by the Shannon estuary.