Ireland's Graeme McDowell couldn't quite match the course record 63 carded by England's Ross Fisher in European Open's first round at The London Club today, but the late starter made serious inroads thanks to a 65.

He is joined in second place by Englishman David Frost, while another Ulsterman, Rory McIlroy, was a late mover into fourth place thanks to a 67, which could have been so much better had he not bogeyed three on the front nine.

McDowell could well have been joined by Paul McGinley, who needs to excel this weekend if he is to qualify for the British Open, but three dropped shots in the last two holes by the Dubliner meant he signed for a 69.

McGinley's card was flawless through 16 holes in which he carded six birdies, but a bogey on the 17th and a double on the 18th may prove costly.

McDowell's round was marred only by a bogey on the 14th, while an eagle on the par five eighth was the high point. If he maintains today's form until Sunday he will do his chances of securing an automatic Ryder Cup place no harm at all.

McDowell fell out of the top 10 on the Ryder Cup standings last Sunday, but the first prize of €500,000 could take him to sixth.

"I've not looked at the table for weeks — I know I've got to perform and all I can do is focus on day by day," said McDowell, who blamed the bogey at the 14th on feeling rushed because his group were being timed for slow play.

"I'm feeling mentally and physically fit and I'm not spending much time on the range. You pinpoint what you need to work on, get rest and stay off the Guinness on the weeks off.

"The race is only just beginning now we're into the meat and bones of the season."

The top four are pursued by a chasing pack that includes England's Robert Rock, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano from Spain, India's Jeev Milkha Singh and the Swedish duo of Peter Hedblom and Peter Hanson.

Defending champion Colin Montgomerie, meanwhile, opened with a two-under 70 while Open champion Pádraig Harrington had a frustrating day - he had a double bogey at the sixth, his 15th - before signing for a level par 72.

"I'm happy with my short game and I was as solid as I've been all year on the greens, but I struggled to get distance control," he said.

"You've just got to stay patient and wait for it to turn round. My neck is still a little bit jammed, but I wouldn't have played this week if I was truly injured."

Harrington's playing partner Darren Clarke went one better to shoot 71 after a roller-coaster round at the London venue.

Clarke is playing for a top five finish to get secure his place at the Open two weeks' time. The 39-year-old followed two birdies in his first three with four bogeys in the next five, before two more birdies early on the outward half.

Of the other Irish players in the field, Gary Murphy carded a level-par 72, while Peter Lawrie had a day to forget, opening with a five-over 77.

Late starter Damien McGrane shot a 75.

England's Fisher continued to make it a week to remember when he began with a spectacular nine-under-par round.

Three days after finishing joint third in the Open Championship qualifier at Sunningdale, the 27-year-old finished with six successive birdies to break the course record set by Seve Ballesteros in 1984, when he played in the official opening with designer Jack Nicklaus and Tony Jacklin.

It was also the lowest round of his European Tour career.