Ireland three off World Cup of Golf pace

The Ireland pair of Shane Lowry and Graeme McDowell lie just three shots off the pace after the first round of the World Cup of Golf.

The duo carded an even par round of 72 which would have been better were it not for a disappointing bogey on the par-four 18th, their first bogey of the day which featured three birdies and one double bogey.

Spain lead the way after Rafa Cabrera-Bello sank a long putt for birdie on the final hole of the day to ensure he and partner Jon Rahm signed for a three-under 69.

On a day where the windy conditions and tricky greens meant the Kingston Heath course in Melbourne provided a stern test, only six of the 28 teams registered a sub-par score with France, China and the USA - comprised of Jimmy Walker and Rickie Fowler - sitting one shot behind Spain on -2.

The highly-fancied hosts Australia failed to fire on day one of this four-day stroke play event, Adam Scott and Marc Leishman grinding out a 74, five shots behind the leaders.

England pair of Andy Sullivan and Chris Wood are right in the mix on -1 alongside Italy's Francesco Molinari and Matteo Manassero.

Cabrera-Bello meanwhile was thrilled at sinking his long, meandering putt on 18.

"That was a fun putt, I don't know how it came back," he said. "It's been a good day. I think it's a score we're proud of and it's a score we deserved."

Scott was refusing to throw in the towel for the hosts nation after Leishman missed a series of makeable putts.

"We just couldn't get any momentum," he said. "It's very tough to gauge exactly what's going on out there when it's blustery.

"But it's not that bad."

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