Hot putter sends McGrane to head of affairs at Ballantine’s

DAMIEN McGRANE claimed the first-day lead at the Ballantine’s Championship in South Korea with a six-under-par round of 66 yesterday.

The Meath man carded eight birdies and two bogeys to lead by a shot from Chile’s Felipe Aguilar, England’s Richard Finch and home favourite Park Sang-hyun.

McGrane has just one previous European Tour title to his name — the 2008 Volvo China Open — but enjoyed a good round with birdies going out on the 12th, 14th, 16th and 18th and at the second, third, sixth and eighth coming home.