SANTA CRUZ, Portugal, March 22 (UPI) -- Ricardo Santos shot a six-under-par 66 Thursday and owns a one-stroke lead after the first round of the Madeira Islands Open stop of the PGA European Tour.
Santos, a professional golfer for just more than a year, was just ahead of Notah Begay II and Peter Baker, who each shot 67. Four golfers were tied at four-under 68 but darkness halted play with several others still on the course.
The 24-year-old Santos, who started on the back nine Thursday, dropped birdie putts on five consecutive holes -- the last two on the back and the first three on the front -- to move to the top of the leader board. He made it six birdies in eight holes by beating par on the fifth hole.
Baker had a chance to tie Santos for the lead but bogeyed No. 17 to fall back by a stroke. Begay played bogey-free golf in notching his 67.
