Bernhard Langer was part of a four-way tie at the top of the leaderboard during the early stages of The Senior Open Championship presented by MasterCard at Carnoustie.
The German has been the leading money winner on the Champions Tour for the last two seasons but incredibly is yet to win a Senior Major - despite seven top-ten finishes.
But the two-time Masters Tournament Champion set about capturing his first Senior Major in Scotland as he moved to three under through eight holes to share tyhe early lead with American trio Jeff Sluman, Jay Don Blake and Ronnie Black.
Former Ryder Cup Captain Langer started his round with a birdie at the first, and hit top gear as he approached the turn with further gains at the seventh and par three eighth.
Former US PGA Championship winner Sluman was also bogey free for his first seven holes, an impressive feat as only 20 of the 74 players out on the course were under par for their rounds.
Blake has not won a tournament anywhere since his solitary US PGA Tour win in 1991, but after a front nine 35 moved into contention with consecutive birdies at the tenth and 11th.
Black - who won twice on the US PGA Tour in the 1980s, birdied three of his first five holes to complete the leading quartet, who were being closely pursued by Spain's Juan Quiros, Scotland's Fraser Mann and another American, Michael Allen.
