McGinley finds going tough

Paul McGinley laboured to a three-over-par first-round score at the Saint-Omer Open to leave him six shots adrift of the lead.

In a week when many of his rivals are testing themselves at the US Open in San Diego, the Irishman, having failed to qualify, struggled to stamp his authority on one of the European Tour’s smallest events.

Battling driving rain, he posted two bogeys in the first nine holes after teeing off from the 10th but pulled one back with a birdie at the par-four 16th.

He holed an eight-foot putt for par on the 18th green to stay one over at the halfway stage, but slipped back with bogeys on the second, fourth, seventh and eighth holes.

A birdie on the par-four fifth typified an inconsistent round, and on the ninth green the 41-year-old’s long putt for eagle went agonisingly close, but a tap-in birdie saved some grace.

Finnish duo Mikko Korhonen and Roope Kakko shared the lead with Englishman Gary Clark on two under, while a number of players were one shot back.

Korhonen birdied three holes in a flawless front nine but shot two bogeys on the way back.

A birdie on the 15th ensured a two-under-par 69 and, with weather conditions deteriorating further this afternoon, he had a good chance of maintaining his spot atop the leaderboard come the end of the day’s play.

Argentinian Cesar Monasterio, who won at St Omer in 2006, made a blistering start after birdies on both the front nine’s par threes and an eagle on the par-five seventh.

However, he relinquished his lead on the back nine and finished with a level-par 71.

Englishman Gary Emerson, who won the Russia Open in 2004, was forced to retire early on with a back injury.