Kurt Kitayama got off to another fast start as he fired a 66 to take the first round lead at the Oman Open.
The American came through all three stages of Qualifying School in 2018 and was a winner in just his third European Tour start at the Afrasia Bank Mauritius Open at Anahita.
He began that week with a 63 and his opening round at Al Mouj Golf was the fourth time he had gone sub-70 for his first 18 holes in 2019, although it was the first time he had held a first round lead.
Kitayama made an eagle and four birdies to get to six under and sit a shot ahead of Scotsman Scott Jamieson and Japan's Yusaku Miyazato.
Jamieson and Miyazato had set the target in the morning and Kitayama's effort was all the more impressive considering he had to tackle the higher winds on the Muscat coast.
“I’m delighted with that," said Kitayama. "Conditions were pretty tough so to be bogey free was really good. My putting was great, I had great speed. I made a few putts outside ten feet so that was really nice.
“I have a few more opportunities to play after my win. It makes it easier to plan my schedule but it’s my first year and I want to see most of the courses to plan for next year. I can understand why the guys rave about this golf course. It’s in great shape and it doesn’t get much purer than this.”
French trio Raphaël Jacquelin, Alexander Levy and Adrien Saddier, Spaniard Alejandro Cañizares, England's David Horsey, Belgian Thomas Pieters and Zimbabwean Scott Vincent were two shots off the lead.
Kitayama birdied the sixth and put his tee shot at the par three eighth to 18 feet for another gain to turn in 34.
A birdie from similar range followed on the 11th and an eagle on the par five 12th from 15 feet put him in share of the lead before he took advantage of the next par five at the 16th.
Earlier, Miyazato turned in 32 with birdies on the second, third, seventh and ninth before another gain at the tenth put him into a share of the lead. A six foot putt on the 14th put the 38-year-old two ahead but he bogeyed the next to leave the door open for Jamieson.
The 2013 Nelson Mandela Championship presented by ISPS HANDA champion was just one under having played 11 holes but a hat-trick of birdies from the 12th and another on the 17th quickly vaulted him to the top of the leaderboard.
Saddier had set the early pace, holing a wedge to eagle the par four second and taking advantage of the par five next to jump out to three under before adding another gain on the 16th.
Playing partners Levy and Pieters both held the lead at one point, with Levy turning in 34 from the tenth before making a hat-trick of birdies from the first. He made a double bogey after leaving his second in the sand in a fairway bunker on the sixth but bounced back with a birdie on the next.
Big hitting Peiters eagled the par five 12th and birdied the long third and seventh to go with a gain on the 18th and a bogey on the ninth.
Jacquelin birdied the 13th, 16th, second, third and sixth with a bogey on the 18th, while Vincent made an eagle and four birdies but also two bogeys.
Horsey made birdies on the 12th, 16th, 17th, third and seventh with a bogey on the 18th, while Cañizares recovered from a double bogey on the third with birdies on the sixth, tenth, 12th, 13th, 14th and 16th.
