Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts proved a surprise leader after carding a seven-under-par 65 in heavy rain in the first round of the inaugural Seville Open.
The 21-year-old from Brussels, chosen as a "Junior Ryder Cup" player when he was a teenager, is playing his third full year on tour and has now set up a chance of improving on his best finish of tied fifth in last year's Lancome Trophy.
His career-best tour score, which included 10 birdies in a spectacular round, came after he'd missed six cuts out of seven this year.
It took him a stroke better than early front-runner Gregory Havret of France and two ahead of four players on 67, Frenchman Jean Francois Remesy, Spaniard Ivo Giner, Briton Garry Houston and Italy's Emanuele Canonica.
Colsaerts' round, not counted as the Jose Maria Olazabal-designed Royal Club course record because of preferred lies, was all the more remarkable since he refused to wear waterproofs.
"I've never worn a waterproof jacket because I don't feel comfortable in one, but the rain made it pretty uncomfortable anyway," he said, "so I was very pleased with the way I performed after getting off to a good start with a five-metre birdie putt.
"I've had good scores but at 21 I've still a lot to learn, mainly how to keep it going for all four rounds."
Havret made a good start towards claiming a second European Tour title and bettering a second place this year. He hopes success this week will boost his chances of a French World Cup place when the tournament is held at the same venue in November.
The 27-year-old Parisian lost a play-off to German Marcel Siem in the second event of the year, the Dunhill Championship in South Africa, having won the 2001 Italian Open in his rookie year.
Tournament favourite Miguel Angel Jimenez made further strides towards a second successive European Tour title and third of the season, so confirming his Ryder Cup place in September, with a round he labelled "lucky".
His ball rapped into the flagstick at speed on the long fifth and dropped as he holed a 30ft pitch for an eagle and then on the ninth it jumped the hazard when it seemed doomed to a watery grave, helping him to a birdie.
As well as targeting the Ryder Cup, the 40-year-old Spaniard has his eye on the World Cup.
"It would be nice to play with Sergio Garcia and it would be great to play with Jose Maria Olazabal, especially as he is the course designer," said Jimenez.
Gary Murphy of Kilkenny was best of the Irish, posting a two-under-par 70.
Dubliner Peter Lawrie (71) and Portrush's Graeme McDowell (72) also stayed within striking distance of the leaders. But Wexford professional Damien McGrane carded a disappointing 76 and will struggle to make the cut.
Briton Nick Dougherty, who has been told by mentor Nick Faldo to concentrate on his game rather than enjoying the good life, shot 68, fighting back from a double-bogey on his front nine.
He was joined on that mark by another Briton who has struggled in recent times, the former Walker Cup player Gary Evans.
LeadingScores
(Irish in bold, Brit unless stated)
65 - Nicolas Colsaerts (Bel)
66 - Gregory Havret (Fra)
67 - Emanuele Canonica (Ita), Ivo Giner (Spa), Gary Houston, Jean-Francois Remesy (Fra)
68 - Raul Ballesteros (Spa), Gabriel Canizares (Spa), Nick Dougherty, Gary Evans, Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa), Johan Kok (SA), David Lynn, Cesar Monasterio (Arg), Steven O'Hara, Wayne Westner (SA)
69 - Jesus Maria Arruti (Spa), Matthew Blackey, Roger Chapman, Francois Delamontagne (Fra), Martin Erlandsson (Swe), Soren Hansen (Den), Simon Khan, Sam Little, Alan McLean, Charl Schwartzel (SA), Jamie Spence, Steve Webster
70 - Stephen Gallacher, Mikael Lundberg (Swe), Sebastian Fernandez (Arg), Raymond Russell, Bradley Dredge, Benn Barham, Christian Cévaër (Fra), Alexandre Balicki (Fra), Desvonde Botes (SA), Kenneth Ferrie, Gary Murphy (Ire), Robert-Jan Derksen (Neth), Paul Broadhurst, Shaun P Webster, Domingo Hospital (Sp), Gary Emerson, Mattias Nilsson (Swe), Julien Clement (Swi), Ricardo Gonzalez (Arg). Other Irish scores: 71 - Peter Lawrie; 72 - Graeme McDowell; 76 - Damien McGrane.
