Paul Casey made a strong start to his Porsche European Open challenge at Green Eagle Golf Courses.
The World Number 15, starting on the back nine in Hamburg, was four under after his opening nine holes having recovered from an opening bogey with three birdies and an eagle on the par five 18th.
That gave the Englishman a share of the early lead, alongside compatriots Steve Webster and Steven Brown and American duo David Lipsky and Bryson DeChambeau in the tournament's 40th anniversary.
Brown had birdies at the 13th, 17th, 18th and first while Webster added to an eagle on the par four 12th with gains at the 15th and 18th.
Lipsky picked up shots at the 11th, 12th, 15th and 17th while DeChambeau’s four birdies came on the 11th, 15th, 17th and 18th.
Romain Wattel of France and Germany’s Alexander Knappe were a shot back having started on the front nine.
Wattel picked up shots at the first, fourth, fifth and ninth but dropped one at the eighth as he went out in 31, while Knappe had gains on the second, fourth, eighth and ninth before bogeying the 10th.
Danish amateur Nicolai Højgaard enjoyed a fine start as he reached the turn at two under, following gains at the 15th, 17th and 18th having dropped a shot on the 13th, but his brother Rasmus dropped shots on two of his opening four holes.
Fellow amateur Alex Fitzpatrick – brother of four-time European Tour winner Matthew – was level through four holes after a birdie on the 11th and a bogey on the 12th.
