Kilpatrick starts well in Kingspan Concra Wood Open
Banbridge's Richard Kilpatrick is just two shots behind leader Steve Uzzell after the first round of the Kingspan Concra Wood Open.
Uzzell posted a six-under-par 66 in the HotelPlanner.com PGA EuroPro Tour event in Castleblayney to lead by one from Hornsea Golf Club's Liam Murray.
Kilpatrick fired seven birdies — including five in a row from the 11th — in a 68 to share third spot with Englishmen Rory Walsh (Ashton-on-Mersey) and Ryan Brown (Worksop) in an event that carries a £40,000 prize fund with £10,000 going to the winner.
Uzzell, who celebrated his 31st birthday on Tuesday, began on the 10h tee and was five under for his first nine, thanks in part to an eagle at the 15th.
He made two bogeys on his back nine – at two and six, but birdies at one, four and eight helped him to an opening-round 66, six under par.
Jonny Caldwell (69) is tied sixth with Colm Moriarty (70) 12th, Rick Weldon (71) tied 13th and Cian Curley (72) tied 25th and a day when seven Irish players shot in the 80s.
Kingspan Concra Wood Open
Leading scores
66 Steve Uzzell
67 Liam Murray
68 Rory Walsh, Richard Kilpatrick, Ryan Brown
69 Jonny Caldwell
Other Irish
70 Colm Moriarty
71 Richard Weldon
72 Cian Curley
73 Tim Rice
74 Mark Murphy, Paul Cutler
75 David Rawluk, Mark Morrissey (a), Brian McCormack
76 Danny Sugrue
77 Finbar O'Hagan, Wayne Telford, Aaron Kearney
78 Ciaran Lavery, Stephen Grant
79 Michael Kelly, Aaron Grant
80 Andy Hogan
82 Richard O'Donovan
83 Ciaran Smyth
84 Brian Sweeney,
85 Graham McDonnell
87 Simon Ward,
89 Niall Mahony
