Leslie WALKer over Harrington to lead Irish PGA.

Padraig harrington was happy with his first under par round since the Irish Open,when he hit a 3 under par 68 at the difficult European club in Brittas bay,Wicklow during the first round of the Irish PGA Championship.Harrinton a winner here for the last 2 years has been having a difficult time recently missing the last 5 cuts. Hopefully that is all behind him now and he looks in great shape to win here again and hopefully he can follow the trend of the last two years and go on to win the Open Championship next week at Turnberry.
He is in second place after the first round.Leslie Walker from Dundalk played his best golf of the year to hit a 4 birdie/14 par round of -4 67,to lead by 1 from Padraig.The early clubhouse leader Seamus McMonagle is alone in 3rd on -2,69.
A grour of 6 players are on -1,70 as there was only 9 from the 120 starters broke par.
The European club is not the place to be if you don't bring your "A" game,ask Phil Ring from Elm Park. Starting on the 10th hole he took 58 shots to play the back nine.
It included an 11 at the par 4,16th,8 at each of the par4s 11th &18th,3 double bogies,1 bogey and 2 pars. Turning into the front 9,he was 22 over par.
Irish PGA Championship.
1st round leaders: Leslie Walker 67 -4.
Padraig Harrington 68-3.
Seamus McMonagle 69-2.
Tim Rice 70-1
Damien Mooney 70-1
Gavin Lunny 70-1.
Richard Kilpatrick 70-1.
Brian McElhinney 70-1.
Glen Robertson 70-1.