Thomas Bjorn remarkably shot birdies in the last five holes of the opening round of his BMW International Open title defence in Munich this afternoon, to finish in a tie for the lead on eight under with home favourite Marcel Siem.
Bjorn won the event for the second time in three years 12 months ago with a total of 264, 24 under par.
That score looked a long way off when the Dane began with eight straight pars this morning at Nord-Eichenried, but the 32-year-old finally found his range around the turn to move up the leaderboard.
Having started at the 10th, Bjorn's first birdie came from two feet on the par five 18th and sparked the Open runner-up into life.
Two more followed in quick succession on the second and third, before the glorious run from holes five to nine completed a round of 64.
Another local favourite, Alex Cejka, delighted the large crowds by outscoring playing partners Ernie Els and Daly.
Cejka had opened with a bogey but made three birdies in a row from the 11th and after also picking up a shot on the 16th chipped in from 20 yards on the 18th for an eagle to delight the large crowd following his match.
Els made a routine birdie, two-putting from 45ft, to be out in one under, while Daly made a typically adventurous par.
The former Open champion hit a wild second shot which narrowly missed the giant television screen erected short of the green and ended up near the 11th green.
From there he faced a near impossible pitch over a pond and bunker to the green, but after finding sand he splashed out to two feet to save par.
Els had been looking forward to playing a much easier course after two weeks of "hard grind" at the USPGA championship and NEC Invitational, and the world number two recovered from a bogey at the first with three birdies in a row from the third to improve to three under.
The Irish contingent is led by Paul McGinley on two under par through 17 while Gary Murphy parred the first having started later.
Damian McGrane had a round to forget, finishing three over par. Peter Lawrie and Graeme McDowell tee off together at 1:50 p.m.
Seve Ballesteros, making his first appearance for almost four months was among the later starters along with Ryder Cup captain Bernhard Langer, runner-up to Bjorn last year.
Ballesteros has not played on tour since missing the cut in the Benson and Hedges International in May.