Spain’s Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño equalled the course record at Oitavos Dunes with a seven under par 64 to hold an early one stroke lead in the Estoril Open de Portugal.
Fernandez-Castaño finished his opening round with three birdies to lead South African James Kamte by one stroke . Northern Ireland’s Darren Clarke looked poised to head the field after racing to the turn in six under par but three three-putts and a trip to the trees on the sixth - his 17th – left him four off the lead at three under par 68.
"I had a 62 in the Pro-Am, but I never expected 64 today,” said Fernandez-Castaño. “To do it you have to hit all the shots well and that's what happened.
"Last year here it was difficult to hole putts. This time they are in good shape - a bit slow, but it feels like Augusta compared to last year."
Portugal’s Nuno Campino leads the home challenge on four under par 67 alongside the English trio of Simon Dyson, whose course record was equalled by Fernandez-Castaño, Barry Lane and Steve Webster, who has developed a taste for Portugal having won the Portugal Masters last October.
Oliver Fisher, the 19 year old Englishman who last Sunday lost a play-off for the MAPFRE Open de Andalucia by Valle Romano in Spain, reached four under, but then had back-to-back bogeys and in the end finished alongside Clarke.
