VILAMOURA, Portugal, Oct. 18 (UPI) -- Tour rookie Martin Kaymer Thursday matched the low round on the European Tour this year with a 61 and grabbed a three-stroke lead at the Portugal Masters.
Kaymer, 22, who had 11 birdies en route to his course-record 11-under-par 61, tied Chapchia Nirat and Lee Westwood for the lowest rounds on the tour in 2007. All three 61s came in first rounds of tournaments.
"I really enjoyed the day," said Kaymer, who shot a 13-under 59 last year on a third-level tour in Europe. "I was playing awesome today. Every putt went in. It was a perfect golf day."
Martin Erlandsson and Daniel Vancsik are tied for second at eight-under 64 while Westwood, Retief Goosen and Gregory Bourdy are in fourth place at minus-seven.
Kaymer started his round with two pars but birdied four of the next five holes. He dropped to six-under after birdies at 10 and 12 and set the course record by closing with birdies on his last five holes of the day.
