Byrne struggles late on as he shoots 70

ASIAN TOUR: Banchory’s James Byrne was left to rue a poor finish as he opened with a two-under-par 70 in the Myanmar Open – the rookie professional’s first event on the circuit. The Walker Cup player, who started at the tenth, was out in three-under 33 and started for home with his fourth birdie of the day at the first.

However, bogeys at his 16th and 18th holes took the shine off the Scot’s performance as he ended the day in a tie for 43rd, six shots off the lead. “It was a decent start, but I finished poorly,” said Byrne, who was in the same group as Australian Tim Stewart, a fellow Amateur Championship runner-up. “We spent the round consoling each other about our losses,” joked 2010 beaten finalist Byrne.

Australian duo Wade Ormsby and Scott Hend shot matching 64s to set the pace along with American Ben Fox.