Gary Hurley was delighted with his opening 68 at the Montgomerie Course. Picture: Pat CashmanWest Waterford’s Gary Hurley resisted the Montgomerie Course fear factor to save Ireland’s blushes on the opening day of the European Individual Amateur Championship at a sun-kissed Carton House.

The cream of European amateur golf showed the bunker-strewn, 7,300 yard “inland links” zero respect and while Sweden’s Daniel Jennevret took command with a sparking course record-equalling 64, Hurley and his Munster team mate Geoff Lenehan were the only members of the 17-strong home challenge to break par.