Ireland's Damien McGrane holds a two shot lead on the opening day of the Turespana Mallorca Classic, holding off initial challenges from two-time Masters winner Jose Maria Olazabal.
The Wexford professional was in blistering form to card a six under 64 to lead by two shots from the Spaniard. McGrane's round, which included six birdies and an eagle two at the 14th, would have been better had he not dropped shots at the end of each nine.
Olazabal's decision to play in the relatively modest co-sanctioned event has, thus far, been fully justified as he opened with a four-under-par 66.
The mercurial Spaniard, who spends more time playing on the US Tour these days, is hoping to enhance his Volvo Masters chances by playing in this joint event between the European and Challenge Tour and received a confidence-booster with a faultless round containing four birdies.
The double major winner is 60th on the European money-list with only the top 60 qualifying for the Volvo Masters in two weeks' time.
"My irons were better today than for a long time and my misses were not big misses like they have often been this year, and I hit quite a few good irons for a change," said Olazabal, who has described his season as "like walking to Calvary."
Having wrapped up his US Tour year Olazabal has this week and next week's Madrid Open to ensure he gets into the lucrative end-of-season event at Valderrama.
Olazabal's playing partners were winner's of the last two European events, Netherlands Maarten Lafeber, who shot a 68, and Lee Westwood, who posted a 72.
Westwood began badly, double-bogeying his opening hole, the 10th, with two penalty shots.
"It doesn't help when you're looking for a quick start," said the winner of two of his last five events to end nearly three years in the wilderness and move to number five in Europe.
McGrane, 142nd on the order of merit, holed out with an eight-iron with his second shot from 147 yards at the par-four 14th.
The news was not so promising for Philip Walton. The Dubliner opened with a disappointing four over 74.