Mark Foster, Callum Shinkwin and Peter Karmis shared the lead as the first round of the D+D REAL Czech Masters got under way on Thursday.
With the race for Ryder Cup points officially started at Albatross Golf Resort, there was a heightened excitement in Prague and 20 players were within two shots of the lead in the early stages.
Shinkwin got to four under after his first 12 holes, with Karmis having played 11 and Foster completing nine.
Jamie Donaldson - a man who knows a thing or two about the Ryder Cup - was then a shot back alongside Chris Hanson, Keith Horne and Oscar Lengden.
Englishman Shinkwin birdied the first but gave the shot straight back on the third before making gains on the fourth, fifth, ninth and tenth.
Countryman Foster started with a blemish but bounced back with birdies on the second, fifth, sixth, seventh and ninth.
South African Karmis started on the back nine and was bogey-free with gains on the tenth, 11th, 17th and second.
A hat-trick of birdies from the 16th helped Welshman Donaldson to three under after nine holes with South African Horne and Swede Lengden having played 11, and England's Hanson through seven.
LYONESS OPEN powered by ORGANIC+ champion Dylan Frittelli was then in a group of 13 players at two under.
