Robert Karlsson rolled back the years at the British Masters supported by Sky Sports and then targeted a strong finish to the season.
The last time this tournament was held in 2008, the Swede claimed two wins and ten other top tens as he won the Order of Merit but he currently sits 100th on the Race to Dubai.
The 46 year old showed some of the old magic round Woburn as he registered seven birdies and was only denied a share of the lead held by Matthew Fitzpatrick due to a bogey on the last.
Despite that disappointment, Karlsson was pleased with his day's work and is hopeful his game is coming together at the right time.
"Everything about my game is really good and I hit most of the fairways - you have to do that to make a score here," he said.
"I'm putting together good rounds here and there, but it's not been quite enough and it's a pity I'm running out of events. I'm not in the season finale in Dubai yet, so I need a good one here or next week."
Karlsson is one of four players in a share of second place with Marc Warren, Søren Kjeldsen and Lee Slattery having also shot opening rounds of 65.
Warren's round was unblemished and he was delighted to register a bogey-free effort with new equipment in the bag.
"The fact I didn't drop a shot was very pleasing," he said.
"I've got new driver, new irons, new golf ball this week, changing quite a bit so it was nice to see them perform well under tournament conditions and to be bogey-free shows that every part of the game is pretty good on a golf course as tough as this.
"To make six birdies is nice but any round bogey-free is always a bonus."
He added: "The last few years have shown a bit of progression, this year has been the same so I need to keep my foot on the gas. I've just had a little bit of time off leading up to now so I'm feeling fresh and ready to go and hopefully I'll have a strong finish to the season."
Kjeldsen also fired a flawless round and the 40 year old Dubai Duty Free Irish Open champion insists he has no intention of reducing his schedule any time soon having played 25 events already this season.
"When you play nicely you just want to keep going," he said. "I've always enjoyed playing a lot.
"I know a lot of guys take a lot of time off but I love the competition, I love to be out there, I feel that's why I improve so I've always had the strategy of playing a lot."
Slattery finished with three birdies and for a long time looked like he would finish the day as co-leader with Warren before Karlsson, Kjeldsen and Fitzpatrick mounted their late charge.
The Englishman has got used to being at the top of leaderboards of late having won the M2M Russian Open last month before finishing in a tie for second the following week at the KLM Open.
And the 37 year old is hopeful that those experiences can now fire him on further in the remaining events of the season.
"Your goals change and you start to think about 'how high can I finish in Race to Dubai' and you've got these bigger events at the end of the year as well and I think the only way I can improve now is to try and win a big event and obviously this is a big event," he said.
"So we'll try and push harder in the big events and just get used to being in contention, I think that's the biggest thing of all."
Just under 15,000 people lined the fairways of the Marquess' Course on Sky Sports Thursday as Woburn hosted the British Masters for the first time since 2002.
While home favourite and tournament host Ian Poulter drew the biggest crowds of the day in the morning, there were spectators all over the course, making for a wonderful atmosphere.
"It's great to have this tournament back on the schedule," said Warren. "I remember growing up watching in on the TV and I managed to play it a couple of times so it's great to be back.
"A great venue like this makes it even more special."
Karlsson added: "It's a great atmosphere. It's great to play in England and it's a really great event."
