Monty makes flying start as Kingston leads in Portugal

South Africa’s James Kingston was on top of the pile at eight under par after day one of the Portugal Masters saw 31 players achieve a score of five under or better.

It was a good day for British and Irish golfers as the day ended with 13, including Colin Montgomerie and Padraig Harrington, within three strokes of the lead, highlighted by Simon Khan, Gareth Maybin and Rhys Davies who each claimed a share of second at seven under.

But it was Kingston who led the field after a round which included nine birdies and a bogey. He picked up a shot on the fourth, but it was a run of five birdies from the eighth which formed the backbone of his round. His back nine included six birdies, with the only blemish coming at the par-three 16th.

He said: “It was a really nice round of golf. I played really steadily, gave myself so many chances, and it was enjoyable. I put the ball in play most of the day, gave myself some really good approach shots into the greens and hit some really good pitch shots.”

There was little to indicate what was in store from an opening seven holes for which he was just one under. “I felt I could have done a little better earlier in the round, then all of a sudden I made one or two and my tail got in the air,” he added.

Starting at the tenth, Khan appeared to have undone much of his good work as bogeys at the 16th and 18th saw him turn at one under. But he was faultless from there on in with four further birdies and an eagle at the par-four fourth giving him a round of 65.

That was enough for a share of second alongside Davies, Maybin, Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger and Thomas Bjorn of Denmark. Davies claimed an eagle of his own at the par-5 17th.

Maybin will look to continue the impressive form of Northern Irish golfers over the rest of the weekend. He said: “Obviously there’s a boom at the minute especially with Michael [Hoey] getting a great win at the Dunhill. Someone tells me it’s the Guinness, but it’s a good crop of players and they’re shining at the minute.”

Germany’s Martin Kaymer, who sits alongside Montgomerie on five under, has the chance to steal a march in the Race to Dubai standings with the four players above him – Luke Donald, Rory McIlroy, Charl Schwartzel and Lee Westwood – taking the week off.