Markus Brier and Marcus Fraser were among those to make the early running on the first morning of the Omega European Masters at Crans-sur-Sierre.
Brier, a two-time European Tour winner from neighbouring Austria, picked up birdies at one, five and eight to turn in 33.
One of his two playing partners in the opening group, Fraser, matched that score by following a bogey at the fourth with gains on the next four holes.
At three under, the duo were joined by India’s Anirban Lahiri, who started on the tenth.
Fabrizio Zanotti was also in the leading group after birdieing three of his first four, but the Paraguayan then ran up a triple bogey seven at the fifth to slip back to level par.
All of the morning starters had begun their opening rounds at one of the European Tour’s most spectacular venues, with Paul Lawrie - a winner last week and part of José María Olazábal’s Ryder Cup Team - one under through five holes.
