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LUSS, Scotland (AP) — Graeme Storm of England and Italy's Edoardo Molinari shot 5-under 66s Thursday to take a share of the early first-round lead at the Scottish Open.

Scotland's Stephen Gallacher was one shot off the pace after carding a 67, which included an opening-hole birdie at the 10th when a blustery wind was at its strongest.

The combined total of 11 birdies and an eagle by the two frontrunners helped ease pre-tournament fears about the greens at the Loch Lomond course after some were severely damaged by Scotland's harsh winter.

Three greens recently have had to be relaid and several players, most notably English pair Lee Westwood and Paul Casey, withdrew from the event fearing their putting confidence would be damaged a week before the British Open.

But Storm, who arrived at Loch Lomond with a new putter employed for the first time at last weekend's French Open — where he finished 11th, had no complaints. Having started on the 10th, the first of his six birdies arrived with the help of a 30-foot putt at the par-4 16th.

"The greens are not as quick as they have been here in the past, but a fantastic job has been done getting them ready for this week," he said.

"And two of the new surfaces, on the 11th and 17th, were probably better than the rest because the grass wasn't seeding and they have a lot of sand on them making them level."

The key to Molinari's round was an eagle at the 371-yard, par-4 14th, where he drove the green. He said he was also inspired to raise his game after seeing his brother and World Cup-winning partner Francesco finish second at the French Open last weekend.

"It's been funny this year. When I play well, making the cut at the US Open, he doesn't. He missed the cut there," he said.

"Then last week when he did well in France, I didn't. We can't seem to play well together in the same week."

Gallacher withdrew from last year's Scottish Open with a viral complaint and did not take any further part in the European Tour's first Race to Dubai, but made a solid start Thursday.

"I drove the ball well today in the wind," he said. "And it was a big difference from how I felt when I turned up here and tried to play last year."

Meanwhile, 2005 U.S. Open champion Michael Campbell's troubles continue to mount.

The New Zealander has missed nine out of his last 10 cuts on the European Tour, and slipped down to No. 795.

He found a new way of running up big numbers at the par-5 sixth, which began with him losing his ball after a wild drive. He played a second shot off the tee, but arriving at the green and marking his new ball, he discovered it was not the same compression as the original.

A two-shot penalty left him with a 10 on his card, which eventually added up to a 9-over 80.