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Gareth Maybin opened his scoring at the Nordea Masters on Thursday with the loss of just one shot to card a round of 67 and head into Friday one stroke doff leader, Jens Dantorp.
Michale Hoey was one two behind after a round of 69 at the PGA Sweden National.
Shane Lowry opened with a 71 for a one-under-par round after a few hectic days qualifying for the US Open and finishing second to Rory McIlroy at the BMW GA Championship.
Lowry made back to back birdies on the back nine to carve out a 34 at the halfway stage. A dropped shot at the second was recovered with a second birdie on a par-three at the fourth to finish one better than par..
He ended his first round with bogey on the ninth hole to lie five shots off the clubhouse lead of Swede Jens Dantorp and talented young English star Eddie Pepperell.
Kevin Phelan is also signet for a 71.
Dantorp began his round on the back nine and birdied 11 and 12 before picking up further shots on 16 and 18 to reach the turn in 32.
More birdies followed on the first and sixth to put the 25-year-old at the top of the leaderboard alongside Pepperell who birdied his final two holes to complete a 66 containing a single dropped shot.
The leading duo were one shot clear of a chasing pack of four players on five under, including two more Swedes in Sebastian Soderberg and Rikard Karlberg.
Henrik Stenson sat three shots behind following an opening 69 to leave him alongside Spanish veteran Miguel Angel Jimenez whose recent good form has catapulted him to the brink of Ryder Cup qualification at the age of 50.
Simon Thornton recovered from a double-bogey six on the third hole to card a one-under 71,
Peter Lawrie ended Thursday with a 75,
Damien McGrane signed for a 77
David Higgins has withdrawn after a round which saw four bogeys and a double to finish on 78,
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