Calum Hill took advantage of early calm conditions to set a course record at Fairmont St Andrews and hold the first round lead at the 2021 Hero Open.
The 26-year-old is part of a 17 strong Scottish contingent and Hill led the way with a career best round of 63 courtesy of nine birdies and nine pars in a flawless display.
Hill, who has recorded four top ten finishes in the 2021 Race to Dubai, is aiming to be the first home winner in Scotland on the European Tour since Paul Lawrie won the 2012 Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles.
It was a tale of two halves as the winds picked up in the afternoon and made scoring difficult for the late starters, but American Berry Henson defied the odds to post a bogey free 67 - four shots behind Hill.
Northern Ireland's Jonathan Caldwell finished one shot adrift of the leader, while England's Ross Fisher, Frenchman Robin Sciot-Siegrist and Chase Hanna of the United States were further back at seven under.
"I putted well. I didn’t put it in places that caused me too much bother - I did make my fair share of putts," Hill said. "One really good 15 footer on number one to save par and a lot of mid range putts for birdies.
"We got the best part of (the weather) 100 per cent. Our front nine was relatively calm, probably half a club wind, then back nine picked up. We got three quarters of our day in quite pleasant conditions, I think it’s just getting worse from here - we took advantage.
"I really enjoy it (playing at home). There’s a lot of family and friends who can come and watch, I always enjoy playing in front of people I know. It makes it good fun. Mum, Dad, cousins, uncles, friends, a few people.
"I seem to enjoy it. When people are watching and rooting for me it gives me a little spur - I like it."
Hill, who was born less than 25 miles away from Fairmont St Andrews in Kirkcaldy, did not take long to make his ascent up the leaderboard after opening with two pars on the back nine.
He made his move at the 12th when he dialled in to four feet for a birdie which started a run of four straight gains.
The World Number 171 picked up his second shot at the 13th from 14 feet before sticking his approach inside two feet at the next.
He finished his streak with another putt from 14 feet to get to four under before reaching the turn in 31 following a superb approach to two feet.
Hill climbed to six under at the third with a close range putt but the Scot accelerated with a hat-trick of birdies from the sixth.
Another terrific iron shot saw him tap in from three feet for his seventh gain before the putter got hot as Hill drained efforts from eight and 14 feet respectively to set the clubhouse target at nine under, which no one could match.
Caldwell rolled in an eagle, seven birdies and one bogey to be Hill's closest rival, while Fisher and Hanna carded blemish free 65s and Sciot-Siegrist recorded eight gains and one dropped shot.
Englishman Chris Paisley, Spaniard Alvaro Quiros and Germany's Nicolai von Dellingshausen were at six under, while Henson, who registered an eagle and three birdies in the afternoon, led a group of 12 players at five under.
Home favourites Richie Ramsay and David Law were also at that mark with Spanish pair Adrian Otaegui and Santiago Tarrio and English duo Matthew Jordan and Toby Tree.
Dane Lucas Bjerregaard, Chilean Hugo Leon, Norway's Kristoffer Reitan, India's Shubhankar Sharma and South African Bryce Easton wrapped up the chasing pack.
