Green starts in style

Australia's Richard Green came flying out of the blocks when the first round of the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles began in Perthshire.

The left-hander, a three-time European Tour winner, carded four birdies on his outward nine after starting at the 11th and then picked up another shot at the long second to hold the early lead on five under par.

That was one ahead of Spain’s Ignacio Garrido at next year’s Ryder Cup venue, with a host of players on three under.

Former Ryder Cup hero Phil Price was among those two off the lead, along with Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger, Ireland’s Peter Lawrie, France’s Gary Stal, Swede Fredrik Andersson Hed, German Moritz Lampert and Northern Ireland’s Michael Hoey.