Retief Goosen boosted his chances of retaining his crown as European number one with a superb opening round in the £1.8 million Linde German Masters today.
The former US Open champion made the ideal start at Gut Larchenhof today by carding a seven-under par 65 on the Jack Nicklaus-designed layout.
Starting on the 10th after a one hour and 40 minute delay due to early morning fog, Goosen birdied four of his first six holes and recovered from a bogey on the 17th with a birdie on the last to be out in 32.
Two more birdies and a bogey followed on the closing stretch before an eagle on the seventh hoisted him up the top of the leaderboard, one shot behind the early leader, Australian Stephen Leaney.
Leaney birdied the final hole in a blemish-free round of 64 while English trio, Nick Dougherty and Jonathan Lomas were in a share of third alongside Australian Peter O'Malley on five-under.
Goosen lies second in the Order of Merit, trailing fellow South African Ernie Els by just over £300,000 but could wipe out that deficit with victory here on Sunday.
Meanwhile Sam Torrance had received some welcome injury news ahead of the Ryder Cup this week - but it did not extend to the man himself today.
Colin Montgomerie and Padraig Harrington returned to action in Cologne after worrying back and ankle injuries respectively, but Torrance will not get the chance to see them in action close up.
The 49-year-old Scot withdrew from the event before play began this morning with a back complaint that also forced him out after nine holes of the first round of the BMW International Open in Munich two weeks ago.
Nine of Torrance's 12-man European team are in action in a high-class field, only Darren Clarke and wild cards Sergio Garcia and Jesper Parnevik are absent.
Harrington picked up a birdie at the third to be one-under after four holes while Graeme McDowell started with a birdie at the first.
Paul McGinley carded a solid opening two-under 70, two shots better than veteran Des Smyth.
PA