RONAN RAFFERTY has not won a tournament for three years, but the former European number one is on course for the Peugeot French Open after an opening 66 at the National Club in Paris yesterday.

Thanks to his improved putting Rafferty had five birdies in the last eight holes, after an outward 34, and that sent the Ulsterman into a tie for first place with five others including former French Open champion Costantino Rocca and South African Retief Goosen, who won the recent Slaley Hall tournament in Northumberland.

It was a new driver with an extra light shaft that helped Philip Walton to a good start. Thanks to his accuracy from the tee the Malahide player charted a successful path through the National Club's network of water holes to return a five under par 67, one shot behind the leaders but six ahead of favourite Colin Montgomerie.

Raymond Burns, who had Richard Boxall's experienced caddie Andy Bladon on his bag for a one week assignment, also shot 67. He had an inward 32 and birdie fours at the third and ninth. His only blemish was to miss the green at the short eighth.

Waterville's David Higgins, following up his third place in last week's BMW Open in Munich, shot an excellent 69.

As one of the 11 members of the victorious European, Ryder Cup team, Walton is getting red carpet treatment in Paris this week and his golf was of the same standard as he posted an eagle and five birdies to his card.

Beginning at the 10th he was out in 32 adding to birdies at the 10th and 13th by holing from 30 feet for an eagle three at the 18th, a par five of 5 14 yards where the green is surrounded by water.

Walton was home on the island with a drive and six iron. His only blemishes came at the start of the inward half. After pulling his approach to the first, off an uphill lie into the lake, he then took three putts from the extreme edge of the short second over the same stretch of water.

But two excellent woods to the heart of the long third for a third birdie got him back on track and he ended with a double birdie flourish. He got down from eight feet at the eighth, and he was home in two at the long ninth to leave himself the formality of two putts to again beat par.

"I have got more control with this new Callaway Big Bertha because of the special lightweight shaft, and I am now up with the bigger boys," he said. "It's the first time I have used it in competition but I feel so comfortable with it that there is no difficulty in hitting off the fairway as well."

Walton proved both points by hitting two shots with the driver to find the rear of the green at the 563 yard closing hole, where most were playing a full wedge for their third shot.

Higgins also began at the 10th, and also ended his outward half with an eagle three, in his case from a drive and five iron to 20 feet. But he lost the benefit by taking a double bogey seven at the third after hitting a tree that guards the right flank of the green.

However, Higgins remained relaxed and was rewarded with three birdies in the last four hole to engender hopes of the high finish that would clinch his Tou card for 1997. He pitched in close at the sixth, holed from 15 feet to save par at the next, then struck a superb four iron across the valley - to the short eighth. The 23 year old rounded off a good morning's work by pitching to eight feet and sinking a birdie putt at the ninth.

"Last week grave me a lot of confidence and I am still very relaxed," he said. "Even when I took that seven I did not get excited or try to press my luck, and it paid off. I feel confident that I can keep on playing well."

Paul McGinley had 70, but Des Smyth, on his first appearance since a recent operation, had 73, as did Francis Howley. But David Feherty, who struggled to a 75 and Christy O'Connor Jnr with 77 face a tough battle to avoid the halfway axe.