Shiv Kapur shot six successive birdies to set the standard in the first round of the Czech Open 2010 at the Prosper Resort in Čeladná.
The 28 year old Indian made his burst from the second to seventh holes to establish an early lead and, although he began the back nine with two bogeys in a row, birdies on the 16th and 18th helped him card a six under par 66.
“I was six under through my first seven holes so it would have been nice to have added some birdies on the back nine. But golfers are never happy,” he said.
“The course is fantastic and the greens are absolutely brilliant. They are rolling beautifully in spite of the rain.
“I've never grown up on courses like this - I did on flat courses - but it suits my game as it is not a course that rewards long hitters.”
Kapur boasts a one shot cushion over Argentinian Tano Goya, whose 67 included six birdies and a bogey, while England’s Richard Bland occupies third spot on four under par.
Three players were a shot further back: Australian Rick Kulacz’s 69 featured an eagle on the par five seventh, while José Manuel Lara of Spain and Frenchman Julien Guerrier remain well placed after a largely profitable first day.
Ireland’s Peter Lawrie bogeyed the 18th to slip to two under par, one of eight players who had shot 70s.
Simon Dyson was among them, having shaken off jet lag and boosted his Ryder Cup hopes with four closing birdies.
On Sunday the Englishman shared 12th place in the US PGA Championship, then flew
back from Chicago on Monday night, caught another flight to Prague and
took a train to Ostrava.
Dyson is 16th in the race for a place in the European Ryder Cup Team with only one week to go, and is keen to build on a promising first round.
“I played the pro-am yesterday and was shattered, but I got a good night's sleep," he said.
“If I can get a couples of top threes or a win you never know. It was great to finish that way."
Dyson played with compatriot Ross McGowan, who at 11th in the standings needs a top four finish this week or in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles next week to book his Ryder Cup spot.
But McGowan - playing through the pain of a shoulder injury - started with a seven on the long 10th and, after climbing back to one under, finished with another double bogey and had to settle for a one over 73.
“I'm playing fairly well when my shoulder is not giving me grief," he said. "I’ll take a few painkillers and hope for the best.
“I’ve trapped a nerve and I have sharp pain on the downswing so I’m not sure where the ball is going to go.”
Spain's Miguel Angel Jiménez, eighth on the points table but not playing next week, posted a 71 on the course he co-designed, while 2008 Ryder Cup team-mate Oliver Wilson, still in with an outside chance of retaining his place, shot a level par 72.
Jiménez said: “It’s not much of an advantage knowing the course as people practice a couple of days and get to know it.
“The course is very true and you can see everything. You need to hit it straight to be able to hit the pins as the greens are very fast. That is the key.”
The afternoon starters included Swede Peter Hanson, another player with Ryder Cup aspirations.
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