Portugal Masters 2017: Joost Luiten, George Coetzee Tied After Shooting 7-Under

Joost Luiten is tied with George Coetzee for the lead after the opening day of the 2017 Portugal Masters, both shooting a round of seven-under 64 at the Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course on Thursday.

The pair hold an advantage of one shot, with Callum Shinkwin, Nino Bertasio, Gregory Havret, Jason Scrivener and Ashun Wu all within touching distance in Vilamoura.

For the latest leaderboard visit the European Tour's official website.

Recap

Luiten completed a magnificent bogey-free day as he entered the clubhouse on seven-under for his opening effort.

The Dutchman was the picture of consistency as he played the game at a steady and comfortable pace.

Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images

Starting on the back-nine, Luiten earned the perfect start through No. 11 with a birdie, and he continued to maintain his form to the highest standard.

Three birdies in a row from No. 17 propelled the Dutchman forward, and the leader did not disappoint the watching crowds up the home stretch.

Seven birdies gave Luiten the edge over a competitive showing from his main rivals.

The European Tour provided his scorecard:

Wu came close to grabbing a share of the lead on Day 1, but a bogey on No. 16 early on stopped him catching Luiten and Coetzee.

Also starting on the back-nine, Wu recorded birdies on four of the opening eight holes, but he struggled to hold the momentum through the day.

The Tour gave details about the player's scoring:

The top of the leaderboard remains tightly packed, and 12 players are within three shots of Luiten's target at the summit.

Defending champion Padraig Harrington's effort of four-under keeps him within shooting distance of the leader, and a strong second round could see the Irishman well positioned to retain his title in Vilamoura.