WORCESTERSHIRE'S John Bickerton and David Park of Hereford both fired one under par 71s to trail leader Thomas Bjorn by seven shots after the first round of the Nissan Irish Open at Portmarnock.

Droitwich-based Bickerton was three under at one stage after shooting birdie and eagle at the fifth and sixth, but four bogeys prevented him from being higher up the leaderboard.

Park had a much quieter round with three birdies and two bogeys giving him a share of 36th place.

Leader Bjorn was in confident mood after his brilliant new course record of 64 and he warned those trying to catch him that he is a stronger player for what happened in The Open last weekend.

Five days after losing to little-known American Ben Curtis from three ahead with four to play, the 32-year-old Dane took a two-stroke lead.

"I probably haven't walked off a golf course ever in my life feeling as happy as that," said Bjorn

"I'm looking forward now. That's all I want to do and it doesn't matter how I play this week. It was all about coming out and facing everything."