Søren Hansen repeated his opening 65 of two years ago as the Dane looks to emulate his Mercedes-Benz Championship victory of 2007 at Golf Club Gut Lärchenhof.
The 35 year old, starting his campaign to be part of Colin Montgomerie's Ryder Cup Team next year a week later than most, sank a 12 footer for eagle at the 509 yard 13th and made five birdies to lead by a shot from England's Chris Wood.
Scotland's David Drysdale, currently in 60th and last place on The Race to Dubai, is in joint third place following a 67 alongside England's Ross Fisher, South African James Kingston, who came back superbly from a triple bogey seven at the 426 yard second, and Australian Scott Strange.
Hansen said: "It seemed silly easy. I played tremendously when I won here and I've always liked this place. I just kept giving myself chances.
“I drove the ball lovely and had the speed right, which is why I holed all these putts. I think I hit form around summer time in Europe. The course is presented well, in good condition and I like a lot about it - some courses stick in your mind and you can produce good shots.”
Wood, so close in July to becoming the youngest winner of The Open Championship since 1893, is in pursuit of his first European Tour title again.
Wood turned professional after finishing fifth at last year's Open Championship - but for that he would almost certainly have been at the Walker Cup in America this week - and is now up to 63rd in the World Ranking.
That is thanks mostly to his performance at Turnberry two months ago when, like Lee Westwood, a closing bogey denied him a place in the play-off between Stewart Cink and Tom Watson.
Wood, who will make his Masters Tournament debut next April as a result of his third place finish, turned in two under here, had a hat-trick of birdies from the 11th and then two-putted the long 15th for another.
Westwood and Henrik Stenson, the two highest ranked players in the 78-man field, both returned rounds of 70 and 52 year old tournament host Bernhard Langer came back from two early double bogeys to be one under.
On his last visit to the course Westwood started with a 61 and led Hansen by four, but then slipped back to sixth. Now he is the one with some catching up to do.
