RORY MCILROY is five off the lead with Shane Lowry a further three shots behind after the opening round at Le Golf National.
Lightning saw play suspended briefly twice in the first round after which Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama is at the top of the leaderboard.
Matsuyama and McIlroy both lost out in a play-off for bronze at the Tokyo Games.
McIlroy shot a three-under par 68 Lowry was one under after 17 holes when play was halted and he bogeyed the 18th after it resumed to finish with a level-par 71.
He said: “I started off average but then I got going and I felt I gave myself a lot of chances, just didn’t convert any.
“Then all of a sudden you come into the last stretch of holes and I hit a couple of bad shots at the wrong time.
“There’s a long way to go, obviously I’m a long way behind, but there’s nothing that a good round in the morning can’t straighten out.
“I feel like I’m playing the golf to do it so I just got to go out and do it.”
Lowry’s partners Korean Byuon Hun An and Nick Taylor of Canada were blown away by the back the Offaly man had on the course.
He said: “The boys in the group were joking that it felt like an Irish event out there and it felt like a home tournament for me.
“I enjoyed it for the most part, getting cheered on by the Irish people, there’s tri-colours everywhere.
“Maybe I want it a bit too much for them and for me and my family, you see what it means to everyone so hopefully I can get my mind and my game right over the next few days.”