Strong start for Gallacher

Stephen Gallacher began the Portugal Masters with a bogey-free 65 on Thursday - four days after his horror show.

Gallacher dropped four shots in one hole four days ago when still in contention for a second European Tour title.

At six under par the 37-year-old Scot shared the early clubhouse lead with England's former Ryder Cup player Ross Fisher at Oceanico Victoria.

Gallacher was lying fourth at St Andrews on Sunday when he played the wrong ball on the 16th and incurred a two-stroke penalty.

He still earned over £81,000, but with a par on the hole his cheque would have more than £100,000 bigger.

"There's not much rough and the greens are unbelievably good," said Gallacher after collecting three birdies on each half.

"I got off to a good start, which was nice. When the wind picked up it was pretty tough."

Fisher was part of Europe's winning side at Celtic Manor two years ago, but has had only one top-five finish since then and is down at 140th in the world.

He birdied three of his first six holes, bogeyed the short 16th, but then picked up four more shots in five holes at the start of the outward half.

"I just feel comfortable here and the game feels good," he said.

Gallacher's compatriot George Murray, in need of a big week at 163rd on the money list, was a stroke behind.

Ryder Cup captain Jose Maria Olazabal was paired with two of his Medinah heroes in Martin Kaymer and Francesco Molinari.

None of them really sparkled in the first round, however. Kaymer had a two-under 69, Molinari a 71 and Olazabal a 75 that included hooking into the lake and running up a triple bogey seven on the 18th, his ninth.

Darren Clarke, the possible successor to Olazabal for the 2014 match at Gleneagles, was one over until he holed his eight-iron approach to the ninth for a 71.

Defending champion Tom Lewis, like Murray trying to end a run of eight successive missed cuts, reached four under when he eagled the long sixth from six feet, but bogeyed two of the last three for a 69.

"It was a shame about that, but I remembered the shots I hit last year and it definitely helped," the 21-year-old commented. "I drove the ball well and gave myself a lot of opportunities."