European Tour:David Higgins carded a flawless 65 to share the lead after the first round of the St Omer Open yesterday. Higgins recorded four birdies and an eagle to finish six under par, alongside Australian David Bransdon.

Another Australian, Simon Nash, is in third place on five under with England's Danny Denison among a large group on four under.

Higgins picked up birdies at the third and eighth holes before an eagle on the par-five ninth took him to the turn in 32. The 34-year-old from Waterville, ninth in Vienna last week after a closing 65, also birdied the 10th and 17th to come home in 33.

Bransdon's score was built around a great scoring burst on the back nine, the Australian picking up five birdies in a row from the 11th.

France's Jean-Francois Remesy surprisingly struggled to a 75, four over par, just four days after contesting a play-off in Austria.

Remesy, who lost out on the first extra hole to Australian Richard Green, carded five bogeys and just one birdie.

CLUB PROS:Ashbourne's John Dwyer fired a one-under-par 71 to take a one-shot lead into today's final round of the Glenmuir Club Professional Championship at Royal Porthcawl. Dwyer, on seven-under-par 209, leads from Welshman Andrew Barnett. John Kelly (St Margaret's) shot a 75 for 220, and Headfort's Brendan McGovern fired 78 for 226 .

WOMEN'S AMATEUR:Irish interest in the British Women's Amateur Championship ended in the second round at Alwoodley yesterday when Tara Delaney and Deirdre Smith both went out.

Delaney lost 5 and 4 to England teenager Rachel Connor while Smith went out 2 and 1 to Australian Emma Bennett.