Nicolas Colsaerts continued his fine run at Oceånico Victoria Golf Club as he took a share of the lead on day one of the Portugal Masters.
The big-hitting Belgian fired a 60 in the opening round here last year and followed it with a 67 to finish second to Alexander Levy as the tournament was reduced to 36 holes due to the weather.
And he came out and shot a 64 on Thursday to make his aggregate score for his last three rounds here 22 under par and share the lead with England's Andy Sullivan.
Some of the later starters will have to return on Friday morning to finish their opening rounds after a 55-minute delay to proceedings due to fog but the leaders both managed to get their 18 holes finished and open a one-shot lead over Thomas Aiken, Eduardo de la Riva, David Drysdale and Thomas Pieters.
Colsaerts got off to a flying start from the tenth picking up shots on the 11th, 12th, 13th and 15th before an eagle on the 17th catapulted him to six under.
Five pars then slowed his momentum but a deft chip in from the edge of the fifth green handed him another eagle before a dropped shot on the seventh provided the only blemish on his card.
"I have a pretty good record in this place," he said. "I've played well in the past. I feel comfortable. I've played well here before.
"I think I gave myself enough chances throughout the day. I missed a couple that I had good looks at but then it's just the way it is.
"I'm quite happy with seven under. Maybe I had an eight, nine, maybe ten, but seven under is always a good start." Nicolas Colsaerts
He picked up five shots on the par fives, including that pair of eagles, and admitted that his length off the tee handed him a considerable advantage.
"There's a couple of holes where I can take shortcuts," he said. "It doesn't really matter if I hit it on the fairway or rough, even though the rough is a bit higher this year.
"There's a couple of holes where you have still got to be a bit careful. I would rather come with a pitching wedge from the rough than a seven or six iron from the fairway.
"It is one of those courses where hitting it a long way is definitely an advantage."
Sullivan was a picture of consistency as birdies on the second, fifth, seventh and eighth got him to the turn in 31 and further gains at the 11th, 12th and 15th handed him a share of the lead.
He dropped a shot on the 16th but gained it back on the next and can reflect on an impressive start as he goes in search of a third European Tour title of the season.
"I made a real good swing on seven and then from there on I just seemed to gain confidence in my game," he said. "I hit a lot of good shots through the middle part of the round that really got me going.
"I'm putting nicely as well for a change. It was nice to see the ball go in the hole for a change.
"I was frustrated with (the bogey on the 16th) really because I hit two good putts. Obviously, to come straight back with a birdie was really pleasing.
"I was hoping to sneak one on the last, as well, just to get one ahead. But overall a really pleasing day."
Pieters has been in superb form of late, claiming back-to-back wins at the D+D REAL Czech Masters and the KLM Open, and he also made a fast start with birdies at the tenth and 12th before further gains at the 17th and 18th saw him turn in 32.
More birdies followed on the third and fifth and when he picked up a shot on the eighth, he was in a tie at the top of the leaderboard. But he dropped his only shot of the day on the ninth to drop back to six under.
Aiken birdied the 11th and 12th but then remarkably recorded two eagles in three holes on the 15th and 17th to match Colsaerts in turning in 30, although a birdie and a bogey on his back nine meant he would remain at six under.
De la Riva finished birdie-birdie on the eighth and ninth to sign for an unblemished 65 while Drysdale was also bogey-free with a run of birdies from the 13th to the 15th and further gains on the second, sixth and eighth.
Kristoffer Broberg, Jorge Campillo, Johan Carlsson, Trevor Fisher Jnr and Paul Maddy were then all a further shot back with 19 players within three shots of the lead.
Scotsman Craig Lee and Spaniard Adrian Otaegui were in the group at four under and will be looking for a good week to secure their cards for next season as they sit 120th nand 118th in the Race to Dubai.
Scott Jamieson, who will be looking over his shoulder at 105th, was also in that group alongside Chris Paisley who is right on the line at 110th.
Thomas Bjørn, Ross Fisher, Stephen Gallacher, Damien McGrane, Adrian Otaegui, Alvaro Quiros and Romain Wattel rounded out the group on four under.
