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Michael Hoey signed for six under par, 66, in the opening round of the BMW International Open in Cologne, to remain two strokes behind the joint leaders, England’s Danny Willett and Spain’s Rafa Cabrera Bello
Hoey carded six birdies on the first, third, fifth, 10th, 13th and 15th holes.
Shane Lowry finished five under on 67 with eagle on the 13th and five birdies the highlights.
Kevin Phelan signed for a 68 including four birdies and level scores on the remaining holes.
Damien McGrane was a stroke further back after a round of 69.
Gareth Maybin signed for a (71).
Paul McGinley rounded in 72 but along with Peter Lawrie on 73, David Higgins signing for 75 and Simon Thornton on 76 are on the wrong side of the projected cut line. All will need a good Friday to see weekend action.
Martin Kaymer’s return to action following the second major victory of his career gave his home crowd little to really cheer on the first day of the .
In perfect scoring conditions at Gut Larchenhof the German disappointingly found himself five shots off the early lead. Starting at the 10th, two birdies in three holes were quickly undone by a double bogey at the short 16th and another dropped shot at the 18th took him to the turn in one over.
Three successive birdies immediately got him back to two under but having hit his second into a greenside bunker at the 577-yard seventh he failed to get out of the trap from an awkward lie and bogeyed to finish one under.
Storm, by contrast, was bogey-free as, after reaching the turn at two under, he carded four birdies in five holes from the 11th to set the clubhouse lead at six under.
He was later joined by Hansen, who also did not drop a shot, Stal who got to seven under through 16 holes — including an eagle at the par-four ninth — before making his only bogey of the morning at the 17th, and Campillo.
Robert Karlsson, who started on the back nine, looked set for a low score after reaching the turn on five under but eight pars — interrupted by a dropped shot at the eighth — meant he finished the day two shots off the lead.
