Sheehan in three-way tie

Australian Paul Sheehan is tied with I J Jang and Kim Jong-duck after the first round at the Nagashima Shigeo Invitational.

Sheehan, who has three wins on the Japan Tour, made a steady start to his round, hitting a birdie on the par four first before bogeying the fourth.

Another birdie on the seventh was immediately cancelled out on the next hole but the 32-year-old hit form after the turn, carding five birdies without dropping a shot to take a share of the lead.

Jang, meanwhile, shot six birdies with just one bogey on the par three 12th while an eagle on the 14th was not enough to lift Kim into sole possession of first place having managed to card just four birdies and a bogey in the rest of his round.

Former champion Toru Taniguchi is in a group of 10 players in a share of fourth place at four under.

Last year's winner Jeev Milkha Singh pulled out of the tournament due to a rib injury that also prevented him from playing at last week's Open at Turnberry.