Golf: Scahill's share of the lead confirms his taste for Madeira

LONDON: The Madeira Island Open got off to a spectacular start with a hole-in-one, an albatross and an eagle two on the Santo da Serra course in Portugal yesterday.

New Zealander Stephen Scahill shared a one-shot lead with an eight-under 64, three strokes more than the five-year-old Santo da Serra course record he shares with Britain's Kyron Sullivan.

They lead by a stroke from two more Britons, Matthew Morris and Richard McEvoy, in the 600,000 ($1.1 million) European Challenge Tour event.

Scahill, trying to ensure he keeps his Tour card for a third successive season, continued the form that brought him eighth place the previous week in the Portuguese Open.

The man who shot 61 in Madeira in 1998 got off to a blazing start on his back nine with an eagle-two and three successive birdies.

"I did briefly think about my course record," Scahill said, "but then I was also trying to stick to my game-plan for the day.

"That was to concentrate on each shot, never mind every hole."

Austria's Markus Brier, the first-round leader in Portugal last week, celebrated a hole-in-one at the fourth.

The ace, a six-iron from 185m, helped him to a 66. Briton Andrew Coltart also used a six-iron to find the hole from 207m for a two on the par-five 11th.

- REUTERS