Lucas Bjerregaard hit a stunning hole-in-one to surge to the top of the leaderboard in the early stages of the 100th Open de France at Le Golf National.
The Dane aced the par three second from 202 yards with a seven iron to leap out into the early lead and he added three birdies and a bogey in a rollercoaster first six holes to sit at four under.
Bjerregaard has not been in the best of form of late - making just three of his last ten cuts - but he showed what he is made of in a brilliant finish to 2015 as he looks for a maiden European Tour title.
Belgian Thomas Pieters was a shot behind as he reached the turn in 32 after starting on the tenth with birdies on the 11th, 14th and 16th.
South Korea's Jeunghun Wang - a back-to-back winner in May - was also a shot off the leader after making a fast start with birdies on the tenth, 12th and 13th.
Home favourites Victor Dubuisson and Julien Quesne were then in the group at two under alongside Italian Francesco Molinari with another Frenchman, Raphaël Jacquelin, a further shot back.
World Number Four Rory McIlroy was also in the group at one under after five holes with two birdies and a bogey, with seven other players also in that group.
