England's Gary Boyd set a stiff target for the rest of the field with an opening 65 at the BMW International Open in Munich.
It could have been even better, however. After grabbing eight birdies, the 24 year old BMW Italian Open runner-up finished with a bogey six after missing the green with his pitch to the 557 yard ninth.
That reduced Boyd's lead to just one over Dutchman Tim Sluiter, a European Tour rookie ranked 1,368th in the Official World Golf Ranking.
Scot George Murray, Englishman Mark Foster and South African Jbe Kruger were a further stroke back, while two-time US Open Champion Retief Goosen was part of the group on four under.
World Number Three Martin Kaymer and American star Dustin Johnson were one under and two under respectively, while Paul Casey was going well at four under until he strayed into thick rough left of the seventh fairway.
Casey's first two hacks moved the ball only a few feet, he then went over the fairway for four, into a bunker for five and eventually into the hole for a quadruple bogey eight.
Boyd, whose round included a 40 footer on the short 17th, said: "I holed some great putts when I needed to and that's been the difference the last couple of weeks.
"I've been working a lot on pace - the hole never comes to the ball, does it?
“Obviously the last hole was disappointing to finish with a six on a par five when I was in good position after my second shot. But I felt good on the golf course today and I'm looking forward to the next three rounds."
Late starters included Sergio Garcia, Matteo Manassero, Henrik Stenson and Bernhard Langer.
“I really like this course,” said Sluiter, without a top-30 finish this season. “I was here in April to play a practise round, because I had to play The French Open qualifying on Monday. So I didn't play a practise round this week, it's a great setup.
“The greens are perfect, and the course is in great shape - I love playing here.”
Boyd's lead was cut to one when compatriot Danny Willett, also chasing his first European Tour win, birdied four of his last five holes.
“Today more than most days I probably stayed a bit more patient,” said Willett. “Try to work on that a little bit and then finished it on the last ten which is a great finish.”
Kruger was on the same six under mark with three to go, while Kaymer matched Willett's finish to climb from two over to two under.
Johnson and defending champion David Horsey were alongside Kaymer, but Casey could do no better than a level par 72 after his horrors on the seventh.
Stenson quickly made his presence felt, following birdies at the first and fifth with an eagle on the 481 yard par five next.
At four under he was already up into joint seventh, while Colin Montgomerie - on his 48th birthday - and Garcia were one under, but 53 year old Langer was two over.
Scot Paul Lawrie was two behind with six to go, but Montgomerie and Garcia each followed a birdie on the 13th with a bogey at the next to be one under.
