Peter Lawrie and Mark Foster set the early standard in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles.
After fog delayed the start by more than two hours, Irishman Lawrie, one of a host of players starting on the back nine, made four birdies to reach four under par after nine holes.
Englishman Foster, through six holes, shot four consecutive birdies to share the lead, while Simon Dyson also made a strong start: he was two under after seven following birdies on the 11th and 13th.
Denmark’s Jeppe Huldahl birdied the 11th and countered a bogey on the 12th with two more birdies to move to two under after nine and Wade Ormsby, from Australia, was two under after 10.
Spain’s Ignacio Garrido is also two under after six and England's European Tour rookie Matthew Nixon made an impressive start, birdying the first two holes. Despite bogeying the third, the 22 year old made par on his next five to move to one under.
Thomas Nørret made a quick start, birdying the second and fourth holes, but shot bogies on the fifth and seventh to stay level par after nine.
Nick Dougherty, trying to end his run of 20 successive missed cuts going back to last November, made two early birdies before shooting a seven on the par three sixth.
Edoardo Molinari starts the defence of his title at 3.40pm, while Colin Montgomerie and José Maria Olazábal, Ryder Cup captains past and present, were also set to tee off later this afternoon.
