Former winner Shane Lowry was among the front runners as the first round of The Irish Open began at the Carton House Golf Club where he is the touring professional.
The 26 year old, who won this event as an amateur four years ago, cancelled out an early bogey with a hat-trick of birdies from the 13th, with another gain at the 18th seeing him turn in three under par.
That saw him level with England’s Paul Casey and France’s Thomas Levet at the top of the
leaderboard
as light rain greeted the early starters in Kildare.
Ryder Cup Captain Paul McGinley, Dane Thomas Björn – a runner-up in his last two events – and another of the home contingent in Cian McNamara were part of a large group tied for fourth on two under.
World Number Two Rory McIlroy was not off to the best of starts, missing short putts to bogey the 11th and 12th before hitting back with a birdie on the short par four 13th.
As the rain intensified, McIlroy missed from 15ft for a birdie on the par-five fourth, but Lowry got up and down from just short of the green to improve to four under.
England's Chris Paisley was also four under after covering the back nine in 32, with Casey, Andrew Dodt and Bjorn - winner here in 2006 - a shot behind.
