Golf: Strong start for Patrick at Gleneagles

On a pleasant, calm day at the King's course, the former Walker Cup player took advantage of the perfect conditions to carve out a five-under 66 and sit in second, just a shot behind early leader Craig Lee.

Patrick picked up the prestigious Scottish Young Professionals' title at West Lothian earlier this season and the 34-year-old now has his eye on the domestic circuit's most celebrated prize.

"To win both events is something I would like very much but nobody hands outs titles and I'm going to have to earn it this week," said Patrick, who highlighted his round with a pitch-in from 30 yards at the fourth for a birdie. "It was a real pleasure playing golf here. The course was in superb shape and the conditions were perfect so it was nice to take advantage of that."

Dalmahoy's Mark Kerr also got his challenge off to a flying start and birdied his first three holes, as well as the opening two on the back nine, on his way to a four-under 67.

Edinburgh-based Andrew Coltart, who played alongside Patrick, finished a shot behind Kerr on 68 but was left counting the cost of a damaging early run which spawned a double-bogey on the fourth and a lost ball on the sixth which resulted in another dropped shot.

"It's really annoying and it gets very frustrating when you make mistakes out of nothing, like I have been doing recently," said Coltart, who won the Scottish title at Dalmahoy back in 1994.

West Linton's Gareth Wright also opened with a 68 while Dunbar's Neil Fenwick had a steady 71. Braid Hills pro Paul McKechnie, third on the domestic order of merit, had to settle for a 72 but Uphall's former Scottish champ Gordon Law struggled to a 78.

At the head of the pack, frontunner Lee ignited his sparkling 65 with three birdies in a row from the first as he continued an impressive season that has produced notable success on four different tours.

Greig Hutcheon, who can wrap up the order of merit this weekend, bolstered those hopes with a 67 to share third but defending champion David Orr endured a torrid day and slumped to a 76 which included a crippling eight on the final hole.