McGrane disqualified from French Open

Golf: Damien McGrane made an early exit from the French Open after he was one of four players to be disqualified on the opening day after taking a wrong drop on the 18th hole.

The Meath professional, along with Rikard Karlberg, Jaco Van Zyl and James Ruebotham were all disqualified due to a "serious breach of the water hazard rules on hole 18, taking a drop from the wrong place", according to the European Tour.

All sent balls into the lake on the final hole then played from the wrong spot after taking a penalty. Because they left the recording area, unaware they had broken the rule, they were effectively disqualified for signing for a wrong score.

Players had been informed of the correct way to drop the ball at 18 in sheets handed to them before play and on notice-boards.

"One player said he had read the notice explaining how to drop the ball correctly but forgot it and the other three said they had not read the notice," said European Tour chief referee Andy McFee.

"This rule was in force last year and we didn't have one disqualification. I'm bemused."

McGrane held up his hands, saying: "I didn't read the notices and my caddie misinterpreted them."

The four disqualifications happened during morning rounds. Rules officials kept an eye on the afternoon field and prepared to advise players if they saw them taking wrong drops at 18.

McFee said he did not consider it unfair that the four disqualified players had not had the same advantage.

"Sometimes we have a referee on a hole, sometimes we don't," he said.

It was the greatest mass disqualification since 1990 when six players were dumped out in the first round of the AGF Open at La Grand Motte, Montpellier, for removing out of bound posts - considered immovable objects - to play their shots.

At the other end of the field Richard Green and Graeme Storm set the clubhouse target after their six-under rounds of 65 at Le Golf National in Paris.

Australian Green, who has yet to register a top ten finish this season, carded seven birdies in all with his only dropped shot coming at the 17th.

Storm's round was flawless with six birdies, four of which came on the back nine of 31.

“I’ve been working hard on my driving lately and putting especially, and it all seems to be coming to nicely," said Green after his round. “I played pretty solid golf last week in Germany (at the BMW International Open) and it's come through this week here, as well.

“Six under par for me today is a great score, and I'm very happy with the position I'm in. It's given me a lot of confidence to go into the rest of the week.”

Storm, who this event in 2007, said: “There’s always added pressure when you come back because people say, ‘You won on one of the toughest courses in Europe and you obviously like it around that course.’

“I do, without a doubt, but you’ve still got to put the work in and do all the preparation.

“It’s just another week, it’s another tournament and you’ve got to treat it like that, but don’t get me wrong, it’s fantastic to always come back and know that you’ve won around here.”

Defending champion Miguel Angel Jiménez opened with a level par 71, while American Ryder Cup player Bubba Watson could only muster a three-over 74. Italian teenager Matteo Manassero was shot a three-under 68.

Gareth Maybin (70) was leading Irishman on one-under, one ahead of Paul McGinley, who signed for a respectable opening 71.

Michael Hoey (72) was one-over, two better than Peter Lawrie (74) and three ahead of Darren Clarke (75). Shane Lowry struggled to a disappointing 78.