Lawrie, runner-up in 2010, grabs one- shot lead after Day 1 at Czech Open

Peter Lawrie of Ireland shot a 6-under 66 to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of the European Tour’s Czech Open on Thursday.

Another Irishman, Damien McGrane, Victor Dubuisson of France and Pedro Oriol of Spain were tied for second, while Swede Mikael Lundberg and Shane Lowry of Ireland were two strokes back on 68.

Seeking his second European Tour victory after the Spanish Open in 2008, Lawrie produced six birdies at Prosper Golf Resort in the northeastern Czech town of Celadna.

“I had no bogeys, which always helps,” Lawrie said. “Plus, I made a couple of nice up-and-downs when I really needed them, on the second and third, which were my 11th and 12th holes. Other than that, I played lovely, solid golf, and every chance I gave myself from short range, I holed it—although I missed about a ten-footer at the last.”

Lawrie lost last year’s Czech Open in a playoff with eventual winner Peter Hanson of Sweden and Gary Boyd.

“The course is playing totally different this year to last year,” he said. “It’s much softer. You’re hitting your driver on pretty much every hole, and the ball’s not running out in any shape or form.”

Miguel Angel Jimenez, who co-designed the 7,452-yard course, carded a disappointing 76, including six bogeys.

Lawrie credited a new putting technique with helping to give him the outright lead, as he didn’t drop a shot en route to carding his 66. Last year's runner-up is now on course to go one better following a change to his putting style he first attempted in the Irish Open at the end of last month when he finished eighth.

Starting at the 10th hole, Lawrie conjured birdies in three of the last five -- the fifth, sixth and eighth on the course -- to propel him into the lead.

"The scoring conditions are perfect so it's possible to create a lot of chances,” said McGrane, who dropped only one shot in his round. "But creating them is one thing, converting them quite another. So to make six birdies and just the one bogey was very pleasing.

"It's probably going to be a low-scoring week because the greens are in fantastic condition, so I'll have to keep making those birdies."

Another Irishman in Shane Lowry stood at 4 under, with the highlight of his round being an eagle at the 576-yard, par-5 fifth.

Lowry was joined by Sweden's Mikael Lundberg, who chalked up four birdies on the back nine to help make amends for a double-bogey 6 at the third.

At one stage another Swede, Fredrik Ohlsson, was poised to be amongst the leaders when he made six birdies in seven holes, only to drop four shots in two holes late on and finish on 1 under.