Gary Hurley opened with a  four under par 6u to lie just a shot off the lead in the €100,000 Mauritius Golf Masters.

The West Waterford man  got off to a lightning start, racing to the turn in five under 31 thanks to birdies at the 10th, 11th, 13th, 17th and 18th at Anahita Golf Course.

Scores

He got to six under with another birdie at the par-five fifth but then bogeyed the fifth and sixth to end the day tied for third with French duo Clement Berardo and Juliet Foret.

Another two Frenchmen share top spot with Edouard Dubois and Jerome Lando Casanova carding five under 67s to lead the 30-man field.

Damien McGrane shot a one over par 73 to share 13th place in which has been won by Max Orrin for the past two years.