PEERLESS PAUL LEADS PLF PRO

SERIES AT PENINA

Paul Lawrie leads his own Paul Lawrie Foundation Pro Series - the official title -  a brilliant opening round of five-under-par 68 over the Henry Cotton Championship Course at Penina, near Portimao today, writes Colin Farquharson
Lawrie's bogey-free round was highlighted by five birdies - at the third, long fifth, ninth, long 10th and long 11th.
With the temperature around the 22 degrees mark and very little wind - in contrast to what the players left behind in Scotland - conditions were ideal for scoring
Greig Hutcheon, who knows the course well, having spent several winters practising over it,  is two shots off the pace in second place with a 70.
Third place on 71 is shared by Ross Kellett and Scott Henderson. There are 18 players in the field.
The tournament is over 54 holes, all at Penina.
FIRST-ROUND SCORES
Par 73
68 P Lawrie
70 G Hutcheon
71 R Kellett, S Henderson.
72 G McBain, N Fenwick, M Stewart.
74 D Law, P McKechnie, R Cameron
75 P McLean
76 J Doherty
77 C Macaulay
78 K Nicol
79 J Findlay, C Lawrie
80 A Forsyth
81 M Isaacs .