Colm Moriarty emerged from the clouds smiling after posting a season starting four under par 68 on day one of the Madeira Islands Open.
Despite starting with a bogey Moriarty picked off seven birdies in his lowest round since a 64 last October in Rome.
There was a near 15-minute stoppage early on when clouds rolling in off the Atlantic Ocean completely enveloped the course and with all morning players lost to observers.
The Glasson Resort attached Moriarty kept his place and restarted in a round of just 27 putts and using the belly putter for a first time.
“I played lovely and thought it’s a tricky course, you could not have got a nicer morning than this morning,” he said.
“I drove the ball very well and wedged and putted well making seven birdies.
“But after not having played tournament golf all year I didn’t know what to expect so it’s really pleasing to come out and start the year so well.”
After starting out by missing a four foot par at his first hole, Moriarty birdied his next two holing putts of 15 feet at his second and then 18 feet at the next.
Birdies then followed at his fifth, seventh and ninth holes and while dropping a shot at his 10th, Moriarty played his last seven holes in two under par to end in the day in a share of seventh place but only three from the front.
Spain’s Alvaro Velasco posted an eight under par 64, including four birdies in succession mid round, to head the Euro 675,000 event by two strokes.
Newcastle’s Simon Thornton was the very first to tee off but is staring at the weekend off after a 76 that included an 11th hole eagle.
And Galway’s Clara Ford, the Santa de Serra Head Pro, struggled in carding a 76.
