Flying Dutchman Maarten Lafeber took a one-shot lead in the weather-hit European Open with a sensational six-under par 64.

Officials reduced the Smurfit Course from a par 72 to a par 70, making the par-five a 162 yard par-three due to a waterlogged fairway.

Conditions were so wet that Grame McDowell had to tell a frog to hop it off his line on the ninth green.

But Ireland's Gary Murphy showed that he has the firepower to contend as he leads the Irish challenge after a fine 68.

The Kilkenny kingpin was five under with five to play but dropped three shots coming home at a soggy K Club.

And while Padraig Harrington, Paul McGinley and US Open champion Angel Cabrera struggled to one over par 71s, they are not out of the running.

Lafeber didn't croak in the conditions and took advantage of good form to fire six birdies in a bogey free round.

Starting on the back nine, the Holland hotshot birdied the 10th and 16th before racking up more birdies at the first, fifth, seventh and eighth.