ROSE HALL, St James — England’s Paul Eales shot a superb four under par 68 to lead after yesterday’s first round of the 50th Jamaica Open Golf tournament at the Half Moon course in Rose Hall, near Montego Bay.

Despite less than perfect conditions, the 53-year-old from Liverpool, started strong, birdying the first three holes and finished even better with five threes in the last six holes as he opened up a one-shot lead over American James Hazen. The latter shot three under par 69.

The expected powerful winds that prevailed the previous three days did not materialise, but it was still strong enough to make the challenging course even tougher as the 77 men battled all day to get a toehold going into today’s second and penultimate day.

Eales, who won the Scottish open last year, told reporters yesterday that after he shot a 10 over par 82 in the Pro-am that “I wasn’t sure what to expect and what I was going to do, but to fire 68 today was something special”.

It was his first trip to the island, but so far things have come up roses for him. “I started nicely, birdied the first three holes, it’s always good to have credit in the bank and I knew I was going to drop some shots as the wind was making it really hard, but to play the last six holes as well as I did was something very special,” Eales said.

The Briton, who had seven birdies on the day, admitted the conditions could have been better, but he managed to cope after his good start.

“The wind was a huge factor (but) it’s just that I played nicely and got on a roll and when I need to hole the putt, I holed it, so I always had momentum on my side and that’s huge in all sports,” he said.

Hazen shot an improved back nine, coming in three under 69, after shooting a one over 37 on the front nine and was four under with three holes to go, but bogied the 16th hole.

Three-time winner Johnny Bloomfield, on one under par 71, had five birdies, back to back one under scores on the 16th and 17th holes to revive his round after dropping three shots between the 11th and 14th holes with a double bogie on the par four 11th hole where she shot a six.

American Kenny Goodykoontz is also on one under par 71 after he double bogies the par four 18th. Jamaican Owen Samuda leads the amateurs with a three over par 75 followed by Canadian Robert Sterling, with three shots back on six over 78, while three Jamaican juniors Oshae Haye also on six over, Justin Borrowes and Romaine Evans both on seven over 79, and many-time national representative Sean Morris on eight over 80.