Dougherty starts well in Portugal

Nick Dougherty began with successive birdies at Le Meridien to make up ground in the Portuguese Open.

The Ryder Cup prospect went into the second round five shots adrift of overnight leader Paul Broadhurst.

After starting at the tenth, Dougherty quickly picked up birdies at his first hole and then the next, both par fives.

It was just the start the 23-year-old was looking for and took him to five under for the tournament.

Dougherty has made a blistering start to the season with five top-10 finishes and is improving his chances of a place in the Ryder Cup in September by the week.

Team captain Ian Woosnam is here as well – he started with a 70.

Broadhurst is out later as is the second-placed Swedish rookie Christian Nilsson, who started with a superb 65.