Ernie Els and Sergio Garcia warmed up nicely for the test at Hoylake next week, with a 69 and a 68 respectively to finish in a tie for ninth spot with RaphaelJacquelin.
The 28-year-old from Belfast proved a class apart as he topped the leaderboard ahead of Scotland's Richie Ramsay, France's RaphaelJacquelin and England's Marcus Higley -- while American John Daly would have been joint second as well but for two closing bogeys.