Chris Selfridge leads the Irish challenge after the first qualifying round for the Amateur Championship.

Selfridge is something of a Royal Portrush specialist having won the Irish Close and the North of Ireland title there. But this time it was at Portstewart where the Moyola Park man (he was our featured interview for Global Golf Post this week) showed his liking for links golf in this neck of the woods.

He carded a two under 69 to share ninth place behind England's Damien Brown, who opened with a sensational four under 66 on the Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush.

Scoring 

Photo gallery from Royal Portrush

Brown leads by a stroke from Matthieu Fenasse of France, who shot 67 on the Dunluce where deep rough took its share of victims on a course reduced to par-70 with the ninth and 10th both playing as par-fours this week.

Naas' Jack Hume very coped well, firing a one under 69 to share 16th with Ardglass' Cormac Sharvin looking pleased with his level par 70.

At Portstewart  Paul Dunne and Stuart Grehan posted one under 70s with Rory McNamara carding a level par 71.