Fredrik Jacobson fired a brilliant eight-under-par 64 in tugging winds at Valderrama today to move two strokes clear of the field in the Volvo Masters first round.
The 29-year-old Swede, twice a winner on this season's European Tour, mixed nine birdies with a bogey at the par-three 15th to complete the second-best round of his career.
Marginally better, he told a news conference, was the 60 he shot on the opening day of last month's German Masters at Gut Larrchenhof.
"Both are great rounds in a way but coming close to a 59 is something special, so I've got to vote for that," he said.
"But in these conditions with this course, a little bit more can happen than at the German Masters, especially with all the trees around here. The wind was quite strong today and I never expected to shoot such a low round.
"If you were under par today, I think it was a very, very good score."
Jacobson's 64 left him two ahead of Danish early leader Anders Hansen, who produced a blemish-free 66 playing on his own in bright morning sunshine at the head of the 57-strong field.
A further two shots back in third was Spaniard's Carlos Rodiles, with twice US Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal and Australian left-hander Nick O'Hern tied for fourth on 70.
Defending champion Colin Montgomerie, who shared last year's title with Bernhard Langer, is among a group of eight on 71, including Denmark's Thomas Bjorn.
Ireland's Darren Clarke, pre-tournament favourite this week in the absence of newly crowned European number one Ernie Els, struggled all day and carded a disappointing five-over-par 77.
Peter Lawrie leads the five strong Irish challenge. The Dubliner started his round well and was three under at the turn. But a double bogey six at 10 and a run of three consecutive bogeys at 15, 16 and 17 cancelled out birdies at 11 and 13 and he sits at level par for the tournament.
Gary Murphy, Paul McGinley and Padraig Harrington are two, three and four over par respectively while Clarke trails the Irish challenge on five over.