Italian Open:Gareth Maybin leads the Italian Open after carding a course record 64 at Royal Park, near Turin, to lie on seven-under-par after his first round. The Northern Irishman carded six birdies and one eagle, with a solitary bogey on the 16th the only slip up.

Maybin, who came so close to winning just the seventh European Tour event of his career in December, was in a class of his own today.

The 28-year-old from Belfast holds a three-stroke lead over Scot Richie Ramsay, French pair Raphael Jacquelin and Christian Cevaer and England’s Marcus Higley, while American John Daly would have been joint second as well but for two closing bogeys.

Maybin had an eight-foot putt to take the South African Open five months ago, but missed it and then lost a play-off to Richard Sterne.

“I was very disappointed at the time - any time you’re beaten in a play-off you’re not going to be too chuffed,” said the Challenge Tour graduate. “But I went home for Christmas and reflected on it. I looked at the names below me and a lot of them were highly-ranked.”

Among those Maybin finished ahead of were compatriot Rory McIlroy, Ernie Els, Lee Westwood, Retief Goosen and Trevor Immelman.

After Ramsay had set the clubhouse target with a 67 - like Daly, he bogeyed the 17th and 18th - Maybin was still two behind when he turned in 34.

But he then followed birdies on the 10th and 12th with a 116-yard wedge into the cup for an eagle two at the next and another birdie came on the short 15th.

Even when he bogeyed two holes later he came straight back, hitting a five-iron to six feet on the demanding 507-yard par four last to return to seven under.

It was a score considerably better than those carded by his four compatriots, of whom Gary Murphy is best placed after a one under 70.

Michael McGeady and Jonathan Caldwell are both on level par after 71s,

while Darren Clarke is three over after a 74. Daly was annoyed at his finish, but after finishing last week’s Spanish Open with a 69 the 43-year-old, banned by the US Tour for six months in November after being thrown in jail to sober up, drew positives from starting his second event back with the same score.

“I love the way I’m hitting the ball — I had a lot of opportunities out there,” he said.

One bad swing put him in a bunker on the 17th, though, and he got a flyer from the rough at the last.