Lucas Bjerregaard overcame the loss of his clubs to fire a hole-in-one on his way to a share of the clubhouse lead on day one of the 100th Open de France.
The Dane's equipment did not make it to Le Golf National for the start of one of the most prestigious events on the European Tour International Schedule, as the Open de France became the first National Open in continental Europe to reach its centenary.
That did not hold back the 24 year old, however, as he made the 26th ace of the season on the second before adding five further birdies and two bogeys to sign for a 66.
Big-hitting Belgian Thomas Pieters was a further shot back at four under after a 67 containing five birdies and a bogey.
"I didn't get my clubs on Tuesday. They still haven't found them," said Bjerregaard.
"Luckily Nike made me a new set exactly like my own, so I haven't really noticed too much. Missing a few bits and pieces in my bag but other than that, it's really good and very helpful.
Maybe I should just keep these now and let the airline company keep my old ones - Lucas Bjerregaard
The 202 yard hole-in-one with a seven iron catapulted Bjerregaard to the top of the leaderboard and he would stay in at least a share until he signed his card as he goes in search of a first European Tour win.
"I hit it to about a foot yesterday in the Pro-Am. Then we were joking, I never made a hole-in-one, I was probably going to never make one because it always ended up like that," he said.
"I hit a great shot. It looked like it went in but we couldn't really tell, and nobody around the green reacted.
"So I grabbed my putter and started walking but as we got closer, I could see it was in, so that was nice. My first hole-in-one ever, so that was great."
A top-12 finish this week could see Bjerregaard qualify for the Open Championship at Royal Troon with four spaces available but Pieters will have no such concern as he is already exempt and sits a shot clear of Chris Hanson, Francesco Molinari and Mathieu Decottignies-Lafon.
Qualifier and World Number 1051 Decottignies-Lafon held a share of the lead until a double-bogey on the last saw him sign for a 68 in just his fifth European Tour event.
England's Hanson had six birdies, a double and a bogey on his card while Italian Molinari - who lost in a play-off here in 2010 - had five birdies and two bogeys.
Sébastien Gros, Lasse Jensen, Brandon Stone, Andy Sullivan and Romain Wattel were then three shots off the lead.
World Number Four Rory McIlroy had four birdies and four bogeys in his opening level par 71.
