South African Jake Roos turned in a three under par 33 to take the early lead as the M2M Russian Open began at Tseleevo Golf & Polo Club.
A six-time Sunshine Tour winner, tournament invite Roos’ only top ten finish in a European Tour event came earlier this year at the Tshwane Open.
However, the 32 year old has won four of his six titles in Africa in the last 18 months and continued that form with three birdies on the way out.
At three under par he led by one from Argentina’s Jorge Fernandez-Valdes, Northern Irishman Michael Hoey and English pair Matthew Nixon and Chris Lloyd.
Fernandez-Valdes was making an excellent impression on his European Tour debut, the 21 year old birdieing the second and third in a flawless front nine.
