Byeong-hun An moved to within one shot of the lead as the weather-affected first round of the Italian Open was completed on Friday morning at Golf Club Milano.
With four hours and 55 minutes of play lost on day one, An was only able to birdie the first before darkness brought an end to proceedings on Thursday but he added six more birdies and a bogey upon the resumption to get to six under.
That left him one shot behind overnight leader and defending champion Rikard Karlberg and alongside local favourite Francesco Molinari, both of whom were able to complete their rounds on day one.
Scotland's Scott Jamieson was not able to tee off on Thursday but he made up for lost time, starting with four birdies in a 65 that saw him also take a share of second place.
Danny Willett made a good start to his Ryder Cup preparations as he completed a 66 along with fellow Englishmen Chris Paisley and Chris Hanson, and Australian Brett Rumford. They joined Thursday finishers Robert Karlsson and Adrian Otaegui at five under.
An fired a closing 65 to finish third at the KLM Open last week and he picked up just where he left off in Monza, adding gains on the fourth, seventh and ninth to last night's birdie to turn in 32.
His only blemish of the day came on the 12th but he bounced back with further gains on the 14th, 15th and 17th.
Following those four opening birdies, Jamieson dropped a shot on the eighth but made more gains on the 11th, 12th and 14th before a bogey-birdie finish.
Willett had joined An in making a birdie on the first last night and while he added to it on the second, he dropped a shot on the next before roaring back with birdies on the sixth, tenth, 11th and 14th.
Rumford began the day one under after seven holes and after a bogey on the 18th picked up shots on the first, third, sixth, seventh and ninth as he came home in 31.
Paisley had birdied the tenth on Thursday evening and added gains on the 17th, second, fourth and ninth, while Hanson recorded an eagle on the 14th to go with four birdies and a bogey.
Hazeltine-bound Andy Sullivan and Martin Kaymer joined the group at four under with rounds of 67, with last week's winner Joost Luiten also signing for that score.
Matthew Fitzpatrick was the other player on course on Friday morning who will be heading to Minnesota and he recorded a 68.
