Gregory Bourdy

Frenchman Gregory Bourdy and India's Jeev Milkha Singh share a one-stroke lead after Thursday's first round of The Irish Open.

Bourdy and Singh shot seven-under par 65s at the Royal Portrush Golf Club in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, to hold a one-shot advantage over a chasing pack of six all on six under the card.

Bourdy, 30, had a blemish-free round, with three birdies on the front nine and another four after the turn to move to seven under the card.

Singh shot out of the blocks, birdying three of the first four holes and sitting on six under as he turned for home. But his momentum stalled on the back nine with his two birdies offset by a lone bogey at the 14th.

Australian Matthew Zions heads up the chasing pack on six under and he is joined there by English duo Mark Foster and Andrew Marshall, Sweden's Oscar Floren, Finland's Mikko Ilonen and Frenchman Edouard Dubois.

Ten players are a shot further back on five under, among them Irishman Padraig Harrington, Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts, Englishman Simon Dyson and Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee.

Rory McIlroy looked well placed at four under after 14 holes, but bogeys at 16 and 18 cost the world number two some momentum and he finished five shots off the pace on two under, level with Francesco Molinari.

New Zealander Michael Campbell, coming off a rare progression through the cut last week at the BMW International Open, shot an opening one-over 73 to share 116th.