Singh Out In Front At Irish Open

Adare, Ireland (AHN) -- Jeev Milkha Singh has come to Ireland with something to prove. He has been relatively quiet this year, having claimed no victories and only one top 25 finish at the Masters. But, he has established himself as one of the people to beat in the Irish Open, leading the pack with a 66 first round.

He shares the lead with Australian golfer Richard Green. Singh pulled many rabbits out of his hat this first round, including a 16th hole eagle as well as four other birdies.

"I putted well today but overall it was mixture of good and bad and it all equaled out really well," Singh told Reuters.

His competition, Richard Green, also is a potential success story in the waiting. He has recently come off not even making the Masters cut. He played a beauty today, wracking up seven birdies, though a bogie kept him from taking the lead.

"It's nice to come back after such a long break and shooting six under in my first round," Green told Reuters.

The defending champion, Padraig Harrington, has slipped greatly in the past year. His 88th position is one of his lowest standings since 1990. He shot a 75, after a double-bogey on the seventh, and has a lot of work ahead of him to be competitive.