The Offaly golfer sits comfortably in the top ten of the Irish Open.
Clara man Shane Lowry has moved in to contention for this year's Horizon Irish Open at the K Club.
The 2009 champion shot a four under par 68 to finish day one firmly in the top ten.
Lowry opened with a birdie on the par five 10th, and would go on to make two more birdies and a bogey on the back nine.
He was set for a 67 by his 18th hole, but a bogey finish left him two shots off the current lead held jointly by Thomas Bjorn, Jordan Smith, and Ross Fisher.
Lowry says it was a good day's work, all in all:
Rory McIlroy is just a shot further back after carding a 69.
Padraig Harrington, Seamus Power, and Tom McKibbin are still out on course, Power is on two under through 13, McKibbin is level par, with Harrington one over after 15.
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