Ireland well placed in Amateur Championships

The Irish team has made a strong start in the European Amateur Team Championships at Western Gailes in Scotland today.

Rory McIlroy equalled the best score of the day with a four-under par 67 as Ireland finished just five shots behind leaders France in a share of fourth place.

Only the leading eight sides after Wednesday's second strokeplay qualifying round will battle for the title and Ireland is well placed to progress in the top flight.

Simon Ward hit a level par 71 as Richard Kilpatrick and Gareth Shaw hit two-over par 73s and Jonathan Caldwell and Shane Lowry a pair of 74s.

The best five scores count each day with one score discarded.

France finished the opening day on two under par 353, two stokes clear of England with hosts Scotland a further two shots adrift.

Leaderboard:

Flight one:

353 (-2) France

355 (E) England

357 (+2 ) Scotland

358 (+3) Ireland, Norway

360 (+5) Norway

365 (+10) Germany, Spain

Flight two:

367 (+12) Sweden

368 (+13) Wales

370 (+15) Netherlands, Portugal

376 (+21) Austria, Iceland

Flight three:

379 (+24) Belgium

380 (+25) Turkey

382 (+27) Czech Republic

383 (+28) Italy

385 (+30) Finland

386 (+31) Switzerland.