Thursday 20 October 2016 19:35, UK
Marc Warren made a blistering start on his way to taking a one-shot lead after the opening round of the Portugal Masters .
The Scot birdied his first six holes to help him to an eight-under 63 on a day of low scoring in favourable conditions at Victoria Clube de Golfe.
Eddie Pepperell, who began the week 110th in the Race to Dubai standings, recovered from an opening hole bogey to shoot a birdie-filled 64 and join a five-way tie for second, while Andy Sullivan began his title defence with a blemish-free 67.
Warren saw his early birdie run end with a bogey-five at the seventh, but picked up a stroke at the ninth to close a front-nine 29 and added two further gains after the turn.
"I think I've had six or seven in a row but never at the start of the round," Warren said. "It was an absolutely perfect start.
"You really have to control your expectations I think more than anything else. You kind of want to just keep hitting it close and making birdies and realise golf is not that easy.
"There are going to be a few holes you're going to have to dig in and overall I was pleased to keep moving forward on the back nine and come back in two under."
Pepperell made his move up the leaderboard by playing the first five holes after the turn in six under, with David Lipsky also tied second after carding a back-nine 29.
Callum Shinkwin, Matthew Baldwin and Finland's Mikko Korhonen also posted opening 64s, while Chris Paisley lies in the group a further stroke back after five birdies in his opening six holes.
Birdies over his opening three holes set Padraig Harrington on his way to a five-under 66, with Sullivan joined by last week's British Masters champion Alex Noren four strokes off the pace.
Watch the Portugal Masters throughout the week live on Sky Sports 4 - your home of golf. Coverage continues on Friday from 11.30am.
