George Coetzee fired an opening 64 to set the clubhouse target on day one of the Turkish Airlines Open.
The Final Series got under way in glorious conditions at the new venue of Regnum Carya Golf & Spa Resort, and Coetzee set the pace as he recorded just a single bogey in getting to seven under.
The South African won twice last season but has just one top ten this term and currently sits 85th in the Race to Dubai.
His opening effort gave him a two-shot lead over Spaniards Jorge Campillo - who had also finished his round - and Pablo Larrazábal, and Dane Thorbjørn Olesen. Olesen had two holes left to play, while Larrazábal had completed 14.
Campillo produced the highlight of the day so far when he holed out from 168 yards with an eight iron on the 14th for the 39th hole-in-one of the season.
South Korea's Byeong-hun An, Chile's Felipe Aguilar, Englishman David Horsey, China's Li Haotong and Scot Marc Warrren were then at four under.
Starting on the 11th, Coetzee birdied the 13th, 15th and 16th before dropping that single shot of the day on the next. Further birdies then followed on the first, third, seventh, ninth and tenth to set the target.
Campillo went out in the very first group of the day and birdies on the fourth and fifth were followed by a bogey on the ninth as he turned in 33. He then picked up four shots in as many holes with a gain on the 12th, that brilliant ace on the 14th and another birdie on the next.
Olesen was bogey free for his round so far while Larrazábal had dropped a single shot.
There were then nine players in the group at three under.
Danny Willett was searching for a top five to regain top spot in the Race to Dubai and he was at one under despite putting his ball in the water and surrendering a double-bogey on the tenth.
