Scotland’s Liam Johnston went within just shots of becoming only the second player in a near 50-year history of the European Tour shoot a sub-60 round on day one of the Portugal Masters.

Johnston, 27 snatched 10 birdies to fall short to match the historic 59 Oliver Fisher shot on the same Victoria course two years ago.

The young Scot, and who won twice in 2018 on the secondary Challenge Tour, needed to eagle the last to match Fisher’s record low but had to be satisfied with a par while a birdie would have seen him join 19 players who have recorded rounds of 60.

Among those is fellow Scot Scott Jamieson who posted a 60 during the hosting of the 2013 Portugal Masters.

Though Johnston ended his round just one shot ahead of Frenchman Julien Guerrier then posted a nine-under par 62 to end his round just a shot behind Johnston.

England’s Laurie Canter was in third place with an opening 64 while Northern Ireland’s Jonathan Caldwell ended the round in fourth place with a seven-under par 65.

Johnston made a strong start on Thursday morning, picking up a shot at the first before reeling off a hat-trick of birdies at the fourth, fifth and sixth to get to four under.

After starting his back nine with another birdie on the tenth, the Dumfries native took advantage of the par five 12th before holing his 18-foot birdie putt at the 13th to join early clubhouse leader Canter on seven under.

He left his 12-foot birdie try short at the 14th but got up and down from the rough for another gain on the 15th to grab the outright lead.

Johnston sent his tee shot at the par three 16th to around 20 feet before nonchalantly knocking that in for yet another birdie.

The 27-year-old’s heart must have been in his mouth at the long 17th when his approach only just cleared the water and landed safely on the green.

He could not make his lengthy eagle putt there but tapped in for a birdie, knowing he would now need to hole his second shot at the 18th to make a 59.

Johnston was unable to do that, lifting his approach past the pin and into the first cut of rough behind the green.

He left his chip four feet short of the hole but rolled in his par putt to sign for a bogey free 61.

“With the rough out there, it’s nice to keep the bogeys off the card,” said Johnston, whose best finish of the season so far is tied 15th at the ISPS HANDA Wales Open.

“I saved well when I needed to and I holed a lot of good putts out there. I’m delighted with the ten birdies.

“I told my coach back home that I was swinging it as good as I have. My game feels like it’s really trending in the right direction, more importantly I’m in a really good place mentally.

“I didn’t see a round like this coming but I feel like I was playing well.”