Belgian Nicolas Vanhootegem changed his putting fortunes over a drenched Moscow Country Club course yesterday to take a one-stroke lead in the Russian Open, with a six-under-par 66.

Vanhootegem covered his back nine five-under-par in the first round, needing only 12 putts coming home and 27 altogether.

This left him a stroke better off than Swedes Johan Edfors, Pehr Magnebrant and Joakim Rask, Italians Marcello Santi and Gianluca Baruffaldi, Britons Steven O'Hara and Mark Davis and Frenchmen Christophe Pottier and Jean-Luis Guepy.

Best of the Irish contingent were Co Wexford player Damien McGrane and Dubliner Gary Cullen, who both shot two-under-par 70s.

Stephen Browne and Eamonn Brady were somewhat off the pace after a 76 and 78 respectively.

Vanhootegem had to thank a timely recovery on the greens for his good round, as the 30-year-old 1996 Belgian World Cup player seeks to earn a one-year exemption with a victory in the inaugural European Tour event jointly sanctioned by the Challenge Tour.

"I'm 167th on the European Tour money-list, so I need something to happen," said Vanhootegem.

"I finally holed some putts and got my feeling back on the back nine. I've been putting really badly this year.

"I've been trying a bit too hard and had too much tension in my grip, so this week I tried to loosen it up."

The start was delayed for two hours because of waterlogged fairways, but during that time a quickly-convened players meeting decided to play on regardless of the soaking conditions, lifting and placing balls.

It was a decision endorsed by tournament favourite Andrew Coltart, the highest ranked European Tour player in the field at 30th. "It demeans the tournament if you reduce the amount of holes you play," said the 1999 Ryder Cup player after shooting a 69 to contend strongly.

The Scot was delighted with the news that the event may become a full European Tour event next year, with a two-year exemption.

Russian teenager Dimitry Vinogradov became the latest amateur to excel playing with the professionals in a European Tour event when the 17-year-old Muscovite shot a 71 to tie 58th place in the 154-strong field.

(Brit unless stated, Irish in bold, par 72):

66 N Vanhootegem (Bel)

67 J Rask (Swe), M Davis, F Orest (Swe), JL Guepy (Fra), J Edfors (Swe), P Magnebrant (Swe), M Santi (Ita), S O'Hara, C Pottier (Fra), G Baruffaldi (Ita)

68 D Ryles, M Bernardini (Ita), M Fraser (Aus), M Archer, T Besancenez (Swe), R Rock, JM Carriles (Spa), J Arruti (Spa), D Orr, M Eliasson (Swe), M Wiegele (Aut)

69 O Bergman (Swe), P Archer, M Pilkington, I Garbutt, J Elson, S Fernandez (Arg), A Coltart, A Crawford (Aus), G van Der Valk (Ned), B Kennedy (Aus), K Brink (Swe), R Dinsdale, S Bebb, P Dwyer, M Mouland (Wal), LS James

70 J Are Larsen (Nor), E Simsek (Ger), R Gustave (StL), A Napoleoni (Ita), R Mcevoy, B Pettersson (Swe), G Cullen, R Guillard (Fra), E Little, M Vibe-Hastrup (Den), S Struver (Ger), I Giner (Spa), M Haremza (Ger), G Clark, I Goroneskoul (Fra), K Vainola (Fin), A Raitt, T Norret (Den), M Urquhart, D McGrane

71 R Coles, S Reale (Ita), H Walters (Rsa), M Jonzon (Swe), Z Scotland, C Hanell (Swe), S Bowditch (Aus), D De Vooght (Bel), S Drummond, L Alexandre (Fra), J Little, B Hume, F Bisazza (Ita), P Purhonen (Fin), B Teilleria (Fra), S Delagrange (Fra), P Mckechnie, P Hanson (Swe), M Sanders, M Florioli (Ita), D Vinogradov (Rus), M Soffietti (Lat), G Storm

72 A Pasanen (Fin), F Mansson (Swe), D Dixon, K Baraka (Ger), M Lemesurier, T Milford, H Kahlon (Ind), C Monasterio (Arg), M Reale (Ita), M Brier (Aut), M Scarpa (Ita), A Salto (Spa), S Scahill (Nzl)

73 M Westerberg (Swe), S Walker, D Geall, L Atkinson, D Lucas, C Gane, J Hepworth, L Oosthuizen (Rsa), A Hogh (Den), M Pendaries (Fra), S P Webster, B Mason, R Reid (Rsa), J Mellor, A Sherborne, A Johnson (US), G Houston, D Nouailhac (Fra)

74 M Kirk (US), G Paddison (Nzl), L Petterson (Swe), G Bourdy (Fra), T Tuovinen (Fin), J Boeckx (Bel), S Little, M Erlandsson (Swe), P Gustafsson (Swe), D A Vancsik (Arg), F Guermani (Ita)

75 E Rush, D Dupart (Fra), T Moore (Rsa), C Reimbold (Ger), E Stedman (Aus), R Porter (Ger), P Terreni (Ita), J Hugo (Rsa), T Edlund (Swe), P Malmgren (Swe), J Abbate (Arg)

76 S Little, N Cheetham, S Browne, J van Hauwe (Fra), C Quevedo (Spa), O David (Fra)

77 G Hutcheon, A Tadini (Ita), J Martikainen (Fin), S Branger (Fra), R Winchester, E Mcintosh

78 E Brady

79 A Afanasiev (Rus), A Matrosov (Rus)

80 K Lifanov (Rus), L Akhremenko (Rus)

81 S Staskov (Rus)

85 W Huget (Ger)

86 J Combs (USA)

Withdrew: J Kristiansson (Swe), D Lee