Britain's Greg Owen equalled the course record with a six-under-par 66 at The Belfry today to charge into a one-stroke lead after the first round of the Benson and Hedges International.
Owen collected seven birdies with just one dropped shot to head 1991 US Masters winner Ian Woosnam by a stroke. Three players were on four-under, Britons David Carter and Anthony Wall and Argentine Angel Cabrera.
Padraig Harrington leads the Irish challenge but is five shots adrift of the early pacesetter on one under.
Paul McGinley made a sluggish start to his campaign with a double bogey six at the 10th, his first, to create an immediate uphill task for the Dubliner. Two further dropped shots were cancelled out with birdies at the fifth and 16th as the 34-year-old signed-off for an opening 74.
"I've done well considering I started with a double-bogey and putted like a blind man," said McGinley who was joint runner-up in this event 12 months ago behind Sweden's Henrik Stenson.
Matters were no better for Darren Clarke as the 1998 winner also posted a two-over 74. Like McGinley, Clarke had to rectify an early double-bogey this time at the par three 12th, his third, after a back nine start.
The Tyroneman dropped another shot and turned in three-over 39. Optimism returned by way of back-to-back birdies at the third and fourth, his 12th and 13th, but a bogey at the last confirmed the false dawn.
"Everything was bad. Shocking. Ridiculously bad. All those asterisks, things you can't print," said a disappointed Clarke. Both he and McGinley have much work still to do.
It will come as a surprise to most Irish supporters, perhaps even the player in question, that Ronan Rafferty was the leading Irishman of the early starters.
The former European number one in 1989 covered the Brabazon course in level par 72 with a balanced round including three birdies, as many dropped shots and the rest pars.
Des Smyth will be content with his 73, as will the newly turned professional Michael Hoey. Eamonn Darcy, however, will need to roll back the years if he is to survive the halfway cut. The Druids Glen professional carded a three over par 75 and has much to do.
Owen, meanwhile, maintains a quick fix on his driving after missing the cut in the French Open last week saw the Englishman back to his accurate best and hitting fairways regularly.
The 29-year-old led the British Open briefly at Royal Lytham and St Annes last year and is sure that experience will lead him to a win soon. He finished third in the two events leading up to last week's tournament in Paris.
"It was a great feeling to be leading the Open last year and one I hope to have again," said the ambitious Owen who is in his fifth full year on tour.
"I learned a lot from it and I feel a more complete player for it. I know the experience will stand me in good stead.
"I learned that you don't have to feel you've got to beat the best players in the world to succeed, just do what you're best at.
"If you keep hitting fairways and a few putts drop, you can win. I'll take any trophy!"
Owen matched the 66s of six players who hold the record at the new Belfry layout, including Jose Maria Olazabal who equalled the feat twice over the weekend when he won in 2000.
Olazabal could only manage a 74 today.
Colin Montgomerie, playing with a temporary caddie, posted a 71 but there was an ugly 79 for the player who replaced him as European number one in 2000, England's Lee Westwood.