Green, Mikha Singh on top at Irish Open

Limerick, Ireland -- Australia's Richard Green and Jeev Mikha Singh of India share the lead after the first 18 holes of the Irish Open golf tournament in Limerick, Ireland.

Their scores, 6-under-par 66, are two strokes better than Bradley Dredge of Wales, Sweden's Johan Edfors, Germany's Marcel Siem and Michael Vera-Lorenzo of France.

Birdies from holes 14-16 kept Green in position to grab a share of the lead while Mikha Singh made birdies at 15 and 16.

Pars at holes 17 and 18 kept him from the outright lead overnight.

"I think the focus was pretty good today, that was the key," Green said. "I just focused very hard on concentrating and it worked out pretty well. I hit some pretty nice iron shots, which kind of surprised me a little bit because my iron play hasn't been that great the first half of the year."

At 3-under 69, a group of three golfers is tied for seventh place.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International.