Alexander Levy drew level with Scott Jamieson’s clubhouse mark of eight under during the opening day of the Portugal Masters at the Oceånico Victoria Golf Club.
Jamieson had set the target score at 63, following his morning start, as he defied changeable weather conditions on the Algarve.
The 30 year old shot out of the traps, carding five birdies in his opening seven holes, but then immediately dropped his only shot of the day on the par five 17th - when he found the water with his second.
Jamieson finished his round with his eighth and ninth birdies of the day, to initially go clear, before Levy caught him 14 holes into his round.
The Frenchman has been flawless up until that point, when he rolled in eighth birdie, and had the overnight lead in his sights with four to play.
Nicolas Colsaerts was ominously a stroke behind, though, as his return to form gathered pace through the afternoon.
The Belgian has missed the cut in half of the 14 tournament he has played on The European Tour this season, but has found some touch in the past month.
He has made his past three cuts and last time out finished in a tie for fourth at the ISPS Handa Welsh Open.
The 31 year old, 85th in The Race to Dubai, was seven under through 14 holes after stringing four birdies together from the ninth.
Scot Chris Doak was in a group of three players who had carded 65s to be two shots behind Jamieson and in the clubhouse.
Doak's flawless round of 65 continued a memorable few weeks during which he became a father for the first time before finishing fifth at least week's Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
Chile's Felipe Aguilar and Danny Willett were alongside him on six under.
Aguilar has had a quiet year since he won The Championship at Laguna National in June, and while he began his round with a bogey, he stormed home with five birdies in his final seven holes.
Willett has led on seven under when he stroked in another confident mid-range putt at the par three sixth, after beginning on the back nine.
The Englishman, who turned 27 last week, dropped his only shot of the day at the next after a three-putt and then was left behind by Jamieson's late surge.
Jamieson revealed he had opted for a new putter after missing the cut in his previous three events before heading to Vilamoura for the first time.
"It's a similar style putter, something different to look at," he said.
"I feel like I've been playing really well for the last three months. I had a few top tens a couple months back, and hopefully, this will be the week that I can sort of capitalise on it because I feel tee to green, everything's been very good."
Doak was happy to continue his good form and, with his place on the European Tour confirmed for next year, he is targeting a strong end to the season.
"It's been a great couple weeks with the baby and obviously last week and continued on today," he said.
"It's just chasing the top 60 and trying to get as high up as I can now, so the schedule kind of continues if you like - well, hopefully it does."
Jbe Kruger and Eduardo De La Riva, who sits 119th in The Race to Dubai, carded rounds of 66 and were quickly joined on five under by afternoon starter Rafa Cabrera-Bello after he followed an eagle at the second with three more birdies before the turn.
Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley was in a group of players in the chasing pack just behind thanks to a bogey-free 67.
