PORTSTEWART, UK — French golfers Julien Quesne and Benjamin Hebert are not only sharing a rented house together this week but they now also enjoying a share of the Irish Open course record at Portstewart.

Quesne, 36, stormed into the early clubhouse lead with a sizzling eight-under 64 for a 14-under tally in ideal scoring conditions on the Northern Ireland coastline.

The effort is the Le Mans-born golfer's equal-lowest score in nearly 200 events on the European Tour and matched two prior rounds of 64 and the last being in 2014 at the Nordea Masters.

"My putting was the key to my good round as I only had 25 putts," he said.

"The course was just fantastic this morning and it was just so nice to be out there on what is a great links course.

"I don't know if a score like this 64 has been coming but I have just played well since my practice rounds earlier this week.

"So, I have just been playing very well since Tuesday and to make many putts today for birdie was very nice."

Quesne ended his round less than an hour before Hebert was due to tee off.

Fellow French golfers Gregory Havret and Raphael Jacquelin left the rented house on Friday in missing the cut but Quesne and Hebert continue to enjoy the comforts of having a chef to cook their meals.

"The four of us rented a house this week as we often do and we have been having a great time," said Quesne.

"But then none of us is cooking as we hired a French chef for the week.

"It is also very good that now Benjamin and myself have the course record as that will make the conversation tonight more interesting.

"So, I know my lunch will be nice now after managing to equal Benjamin with my own 64."

Both Hebert and Quesne are on track to secure one of the three spots on offer into next fortnight's Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.

The duo need to be among the leading three qualifiers among the leading ten players at the close of the Irish event.

"I have never contested a Major so while that would be nice I am not thinking about that at this stage, and with a round to go," said Quesne.

"All I want to do is to try and do my best tomorrow, as I do every day, and we will see if that is good enough.

"If I do manage to qualify, it will be one of the greatest days of my golfing life and it will be my first Major."

And six-time Tour winner and also double victorious Ryder Cup star, Peter Hanson wonders what he needs to do to win either a new vehicle or cash prize after securing the 11th hole-in-one of his career, and a fourth on the Tour.

Hanson hit a 6-iron at the par three, third hole that flew straight into the bottom of the cup.

"I was actually thinking of hitting either a 6 or a 7-iron but I went with a 6 that actually pitched right into the hole and managed to stay in," he said.

"Actually, this is my second ace in an Irish Open but for all my aces I have won nothing and I just keep making them on the wrong holes, I guess." — AFP