Martin Kaymer was among the early pacesetters as the Real Club Valderrama Open de España, Hosted by the Sergio Garcia Foundation got under way on Thursday morning.
The two-time Major Championship winner had spoken coming into the week of his excitement at testing himself on one of Europe's great courses, and he made a flying start.
The German, starting from the tenth, birdied his first three holes and despite a bogey on the 14th, he made another gain on the 17th to reach the turn in 33.
That handed him a share of the early lead alongside home favourites Nacho Elvira and Jordi Garcia Pinto, and Frenchman Alexander Levy.
Elvira is settling nicely back into life on The European Tour after winning three events on the Challenge Tour last season, and made his last two cuts in Thailand and India. He also started on the back nine and while he bogeyed the 11th, birdies followed on the 12th, 17th, first and second.
Garcia Pinto had birdies on the third, fifth, 11th and 12th to go with a bogey on the fourth, while Levy was another player to make a quick start on the back nine.
The two-time winner had birdies on the tenth, 12th, 14th and 16th, with a bogey on the 13th the only blemish on his card so far.
There were six players a shot behind the leaders, Scottish trio David Drysdale, Craig Lee and Richie Ramsay, English duo Ross Fisher and Andrew Johnston, and Swede Joakim Lagergren.
Tournament host Sergio Garcia reached the turn in 35 to sit at one under alongside Welsh pair Bradley Dredge and Stuart Manley, True Thailand Classic Presented by Chang champion Scott Hend and Swede Johan Carlsson.
