Golf:Paul Cutler and Tom Lewis both found the going tough on their professional debuts at the Austrian Golf Open in Atzenbrugg today, while Pádraig Harrington put his three-over-par round of 75 down to the fact that he broke his favoured five-wood on Wednesday.

Portstewart golfer Cutler and Lewis were part of the European Walker Cup team who beat their American rivals earlier this month before making the decision to leave their amateur days behind them.

Cutler, playing on a sponsors invite, managed just one birdie in a five-over-par round that included a double-bogey seven at the seventh.

Lewis also struggled, bogeying two of his first five holes at Diamond Country Club and ending his round with a two-over total of 74.

Back to back birdies saw Harrington move to two under after eight holes, but three straight bogeys from the ninth left him on one over. Birdies at the 12th and 14th, sandwiched with another bogey on 13, left him level with four to play, but a double bogey on the 16th, after finding water from the tee, followed by a bogey on 17 saw him sign for a three-over-par 75.

Afterwards Harrington admitted that he had broken his favourite five-wood in practice, admitting its replacement cost him four shots. The old club was the one he used in his three Major victories, including his approach shot to the par-five 17th at Birkdale, where he made an eagle on his way to a second British Open crown in 2008.

“It was a disappointing finish,” admitted the Dubliner. “Having played the first eight holes in two under you are in a good position. I had a couple of downwind par fives coming in but I broke my five wood yesterday and put a new one in the bag today and it cost me four shots.

“I put it in the water twice today. It was the same five-wood that I hit the shot into the 17th at Birkdale in 2008. That was a pity and then it was a pity to finish badly as well. I hit a terrible tee shot into the 16th. I wasn’t quite sure where I was aiming because I didn’t know the hole too well.

“I’ll definitely keep that five-wood forever – I can’t use it again because the face is caved in but I will keep it. It was my favourite club in the bag and the club that has been in my bag the longest but these things happen. I have a replacement of the exact club being sent out so that will be in the bag tomorrow.

Harrington was upbeat with how he drove the ball after re-designing his swing under new coach Pete Cowen.

“I couldn’t have been happier with how I drove the ball today and that has been the weakest part of my game for a while. Do I have a time frame? Every week you think that it is ready to go and you go out and hope to play well and to win, but if you look at the round today it was a couple of five woods and the putting that did me in.”

Wales’ Liam Bond birdied four of his last five holes to take the clubhouse lead on six under, one shot clear of Dane Thomas Norret, Australia’s Daniel Gaunt and Dutchman Joost Luiten.

The best of the Irish contingent was Gary Murphy, with a level-par 72. Damien McGrane carded a 74, while Michael McGeady and Jonathan Caldwell were alongside Harrington on three over after 75s.