Patrick Reed in the mix as Richard McEvoy shares European Open lead

Patrick Reed fired a four-under 68 to stay within two strokes of the early lead at the Porsche European Open.

Reed mixed five birdies with a sole blemish at Green Eagle Golf Course, where Richard McEvoy grabbed the early advantage with a bogey-free 66.

American Julian Suri birdied four of his final five holes to join McEvoy on six under, with defending champion Alexander Levy and Charl Schwartzel part of a four-way group sitting one off the lead.

Beginning on the back nine, Reed bogeyed his opening hole but bounced back with a birdie-three at the 13th and gains on par-five 15th and 18th.

The world No 26, who came to Germany off consecutive missed cuts, then rolled in from 10 feet at the eighth before chipping to three feet for a closing birdie on the par-five ninth.

McEvoy reached the turn in 34 and edged ahead with a birdie-two at the second, with the Englishman following par-saves at the fifth and sixth with an eight-foot gain at the next to set the clubhouse target.

"I'm very pleased," McEvoy said. "At the start of the week [I thought] it's not really my style of golf course to be honest.

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"It's wet out there and I'm not the longest of hitters, I'm quite average on tour, but I did everything kind of right today."

Suri moved up the leaderboard with three straight gains from the 14th and moved alongside McEvoy with a birdie-four at the last, with Chris Paisley and Stuart Manley the other players at five under.

PGA Champion Jimmy Walker opened with a level-par 72, while America's Pat Perez - who joined the European Tour as an affiliate member this week - struggled to a four-over 76.

Watch the Porsche European Open throughout the week live on Sky Sports Golf. Live coverage begins on Friday from 10am.

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