Retief Goosen carded a superb eight under par 64 to take a two shot lead after the first round of the BMW International Open at Golfclub München Eichenried.
The South African picked up four birdies on each nine holes, including the closing three, and went round without dropping a shot in a sodden Munich.
Goosen holds the advantage over earlier clubhouse leader Richard Finch, who had fired three birdies and an eagle on the back nine.
The Englishman began his round on the tenth, and followed a birdie on the 11th and 15th with a bogey at the 16th.
However, he topped that in the second half of his first round, birdieing the first before following a 22-foot eagle putt on the sixth by holing birdie attempts from 35 and 18 feet at the seventh and ninth to finish with a six under par 66.
Finch is one shot ahead of nine players on five under and 11 one shot further back.
Goosen described his round, beginning his reflections on the par three third where he picked up his second birdie: “I holed about a 25 footer,” he said.
“And then obviously the next two holes are very much birdie holes, and I didn't make birdies there, but the par five, I had a good birdie again there and chipped down to a couple of feet.
“Nine, I holed a ten footer for birdie on nine. The front nine was good.
“Disappointing par on the 11th. I hit a five wood into the green, hit it in the bunker and it came out about ten feet and missed that.”
He added: “The 16th is always a chance for birdie but they have the flag close to the water there today, and I hit a five wood off the tee and had about 80 yards left and hit it to about 12 feet behind the hole and made a good putt there.
“At the 17th, I hit a seven iron similar sort of distance, 12, 15 feet.
“The 18th was a good drive and my second, completely splashed it right into the TV towers and stuff on the right there. When you get a round like this going, it's nice to get a break and make it a really good round.
“It could easily have gone in the water and ended up being a six and been disappointing.”
Second placed Finch revealed: “It went real well and it was nice to finish with a birdie on nine, my last hole, as well.”
"I feel like I've been playing okay, but it's not quite been happening, so it’s nice to get off to a good start this week.
“The course has held up really well considering the greens. The course is in good condition and I played quite nice and solid and steady.”
