Simon Thornton shared top billing with Philip Walton in the Ryder Cup Legends PGA pro-am at Clandeboye.
In atrocious conditions on the Conlig course, the pair carded four-under-par 67s to finish one shot ahead of Headfort's Brendan McGovern as nine players defied the weather to break par.
Walton, who starred in the 1995 Ryder Cup at Oak Hill, set the pace in the shotgun start tournament with a birdie three at the seventh and covered the back nine in two-under-34. Birdies followed at the long 12th and par four 16th and he finished his round with a two at the short second.
Thornton birdied the short second hole and made another two at the fifth and a four at the long sixth to cover his opening eight holes in three-under. He then pencilled in eight pars and a birdie four at 15 on the back nine before finishing at the first with par.
McGovern had to be content with second place behind Walton and Thornton in the individual stakes but, along with his amateurs, he topped the team leaderboard with 90 points.
The amateurs, all from host club Clandeboye, were Gary Bradford (7), Roy Andrews (14) and Glen Shaw (11).