American Craig Hainline hit six birdies in an unblemished round of 65 to take a one-stroke lead in the first round of the Irish Open on Thursday.

Swede Michael Jonzon looked to be heading for a share of the lead but bogeyed the last and had to settle for joint second alongside Australian Jarrod Moseley, Britain's Derrick Cooper and Jeev Milkah Singh of India.

New Zealander Michael Long fared even worse as he too looked like carding a 65 but double-bogeyed the last after finding water to finish two off the pace with five others.

Briton Colin Montgomerie had an eventful round before turning a potential missed cut into a triumph.

He is still three off the lead but after twice finding bushes and trees as a destructive hook got him into trouble, the twice winner of this event and runner-up after losing in a playoff last year, was struggling.

However, Montgomerie worked out what was going wrong and turned the tide on the back nine to pick up four strokes in the last five holes for his 68.

Hainline put his good round down to receiving good news about his father Pete, who suffered a heart attack recently.

"I feel comfortable at this course," he said. ``I seem to know when not to be aggressive. The course can get up and bite you any time.

Montgomerie put his revival down to taking a break from golf.

"I holed a 30-footer to avoid going three-over," he said. "It was already bad enough and I was even thinking I might miss the cut because I was hitting it straight left.

"But that's why I take breaks. You need to have a fresh mind to find out what the problem is, and mine was.

"I was able to put it right and now I want to take the initiative into the second round."

U.S. Tour invitee John Daly repaid some of the $160,000 he is receiving for playing in Ireland with a 69 and was happy to have started so well.

"This was one of the better rounds I've played in the last 10 weeks and my best putting round of the year," he said.

"It would be awesome to go on and win. I'd be taking a lot of confidence back home with me then.

Daly played with Severiano Ballesteros and that might be a good omen -- he won the British Open the last time he played with the Spaniard in 1995.

Irishman Jimmy Heggarty's hole-in-one at the eighth carried a special prize -- a pint of the sponsor's product for everyone who could show their entry ticket at the beer marquee.