Raymond Russell in hunt after opening 71

Raymond Russell’s positive start to the season continued as he carded a one-under-par 71 to finish the opening round of the Pacific Rubiales Colombia Classic just three shots off the lead set by local favourite Manny Villegas.

Russell began his season on the Challenge Tour with a tied sixth finish at the Gujarat Kensville Challenge in India and he continued that form with just two bogeys and three birdies in difficult conditions at Country Club de Barranquilla, just outside the city of Barranquilla on Colombia’s Caribbean coast, to end the day in tied ninth.

“I played pretty good, pretty solid,” he said. “You’ve just got to try and hit the middle of the fairways and the greens and take your chances from there but I’ve been on holiday for couple of weeks in Barbados and it was pretty windy where I was so that helped in these conditions.

“It was frustrating in India, I had a chance on the Sunday and I let it slip a bit. This week though, it’s just a case of making the right decisions, trusting your clubs and going with it.”

Jamie McLeary was the next best Scot a shot further back in tied 14th after he recovered from a bogey on the first hole to card three birdies on the front nine en route to a level par 72.

Jack Doherty was tied 22nd on one over par and Lloyd Saltman was in tied 39th on two over par while Callum Macaulay was just above the projected cut line on three over par after a 75.

Villegas delighted the home fans as a four-under-par 68 landed the Colombian a joint overnight lead alongside Englishman Daniel Brooks.

Earlier, Nick Dougherty had laid down an early marker on his Challenge Tour debut, and return to action after a torrid season in 2011, with a one under par 71 earning him an early clubhouse lead and leaving him tied ninth by the end of the day’s play.