A new driver got Des Smyth back on course at Slieve Russell yesterday as he set the pace after the first round of the £55,000 Quinn Life PGA Charity Trophy tournament.

Smyth shot a three under-par 69 to be one stroke clear of the field and in good shape to win the event once again. "It's a Taylor-Made 360," he revealed, "and I played well with it. I played poorly in Germany but I am very happy with the way that I played today. I hit the ball a lot better and anytime you break 70 on a golf course it can't be bad."

Smyth got off to a bad start when he three-putted the first but an eight iron to six feet for a birdie two at the fourth got him back on the rails. A drive, three iron and a chip to six feet set up a birdie four at the sixth and he went three under with further birdies at the 11th and 16th.

At the short 11th, Smyth rifled a four iron to three feet and pencilled in his third two of the round at the 16th after rolling in a 12-footer. A bogey five at the 17th, where he drove behind trees, was balanced with a birdie four at the last.

Gary Murphy from Kilkenny had six birdies in his 70 to share second place with Michael Allen.