Ballyclare's Gareth Maybin is hoping his luck is about to change after a five under 67 left him just a shot behind leaders Jens Dantorp and Eddie Pepperell after the opening round of the Nordea Masters in Sweden.

As Wentworth hero and US Open qualifying winner Shane Lowry shot a 71 to end the day tied for 50th with Simon Thornton and rookie Kevin Phelan, Maybin fired six birdies to take the lead before a bogey at his 15th hole saw him slip to into a five-way tie for third.

“I hope things are coming together for me," said Maybin who is 149th in the Race to Dubai after a slow start to the year. "I missed a few bad shots today but I won’t worry too much. The score is all that matters. 

"I think things are better than they were, so that’s a good sign. We’re into the summer now and in Europe, so that’s when the season really gets going.”

Michael Hoey is tied for 13th after three under 69, just three shots adrift of Malmo-born Dantorp, who posted six birdies in a blemish free 66 at PGA Sweden National.

The Swede was joined at the top of the leaderboard by Pepperell who birdied three of his last four holes, having started on the tenth tee.

The pair are one shot clear of Maybin, Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher, Dutchman Daan Huizing and Swedish pair Rikard Karlberg and Sebatsian Soderberg.

Peter Lawrie's 72 left him just outside the projected but mark with Damien McGrane 140th after a 77.

Waterville's David Higgins carded a 78 and withdrew

Nordea Masters

66 J Dantorp (Swe), E Pepperell (Eng) ,

67 D Huizing (Ned), R Karlberg (Swe), S Soderberg (Swe), S Gallacher (Sco), G Maybin (Nir) ,

68 J Campillo (Esp), R Cabrera-Bello (Esp), J Carlsson (Swe), A Gee (Eng), C Lee (Sco), P Waring (Eng) ,

69 M Hoey (Nir), M Lundberg (Swe), T Jaidee (Tha), S Jamieson (Sco), S Dyson (Eng), B Dredge (Wal), J Edfors (Swe), S Manley (Wal), O Fisher (Eng), R Kakko (Fin), S Kim (Kor), P Hanson (Swe), M Jiménez (Esp), V Dubuisson (Fra), W Ormsby (Aus), H Stenson (Swe), R Gonzalez (Arg) ,

70 L Bjerregaard (Den), S Khan (Eng), R Johnson (Swe), J Doherty (Sco), J Morrison (Eng), M Ilonen (Fin), C Doak (Sco), D Drysdale (Sco), E Dubois (Fra), K Broberg (Swe), R Derksen (Ned), C Del Moral (Esp), F Aguilar (Chi), T Björn (Den), P Larrazábal (Esp), R Karlsson (Swe), M Kieffer (Ger), A Sullivan (Eng), S Kjeldsen (Den) ,

71 A Cañizares (Esp), M Baldwin (Eng), S Thornton (Irl), E Molinari (Ita), S Lowry (Irl), A Quiros (Esp), B Åkesson (Swe), E Goya (Arg), J Jeong (Kor), J Lima (Por), R Wattel (Fra), J Olazábal (Esp), N Fasth (Swe), K Phelan (Irl), J Singh (Ind), G Havret (Fra), T Lewis (Eng), M Kinhult (am) (Swe) ,

72 S Hansen (Den), A Levy (Fra), A Wall (Eng), S Jeppesen (Swe), M Foster (Eng), J Quesne (Fra), A Forsyth (Sco), P Lawrie (Sco), E De La Riva (Esp), R Ramsay (Sco), S Henry (Sco), R Green (Aus), D Im (USA), J McLeary (Sco), R Jacquelin (Fra), J Kingston (RSA), C Arendell (USA) ,

73 T Pieters (Bel), R Bland (Eng), C Wood (Eng), D Fichardt (RSA), S Wakefield (Eng), T Van Der Walt (RSA), M Korhonen (Fin), M Grönberg (Swe), F Calmels (Fra), D Howell (Eng), L Slattery (Eng), P Hedblom (Swe), N Elvira (Esp), G Bourdy (Fra), E Grillo (Arg) ,

74 J Kruger (RSA), J Hansen (Den), R Finch (Eng), V Riu (Fra), J Lagergren (Swe), P Sjöland (Swe), T Hatton (Eng), M Crespi (Ita), T Nørret (Den), A Pavan (Ita), T Levet (Fra), F Gustavsson (Swe), N Lemke (Swe), B Paolini (USA), M Manassero (Ita), J Walters (RSA), J Blixt (Swe), M Warren (Sco), F Andersson Hed (Swe), M Miller (USA), A Östensson (am) (Swe) ,

75 M Nixon (Eng), J Parry (Eng), A Otaegui (Esp), P Lawrie (Irl), J Knutzon (USA), E Othberg (Swe), A Saddier (Fra), F Zanotti (Par), R Fisher (Eng), J Haeggman (Swe), A Hansen (Den), G Storm (Eng) ,

76 M Carlsson (Swe), T Fleetwood (Eng), D Brooks (Eng), S Kapur (Ind), S Walker (Eng), A Kaleka (Fra), B Hellgren (Swe) ,

77 M Tullo (Chi), A Hartø (Den), D McGrane (Irl), J Hahn (USA), B Rumford (Aus), M Jonzon (Swe)

78 R Dinwiddie (Eng), C Wahlgren (Swe), J Elson (Eng), F Molinari (Ita), D Higgins (Irl), F Nilehn (am) (Swe) ,

79 M Hensby (Aus) ,

80 O Stark (Swe), J Sandelin (Swe) ,

82 J Heath (Eng) ,

** D Willett (Eng) ,