Richie Ramsay, who three years ago became the first Scot for 108 years to win the US Amateur Championship, made a flying start to the BMW Italian Open in Turin.
Yet to register a top 20 finish on The European Tour, the 25 year old from Aberdeen raced to the turn in just 31, but then slipped back to post a four under par 67 and led by one.
Ramsay, who came through last year's Challenge Tour, hit back from missing his last three halfway cuts with seven birdies, but bogeyed the 14th, 17th and 18th.
Joint second in the clubhouse were Australian Brett Rumford, Swede Åke Nilsson, South African Ulrich Van den Berg, Indian Shiv Kapur, Paraguay's Fabrizio Zanotti - runner-up in Spain on Sunday - and Welshman Garry Houston.
Nilsson’s round was highlighted by three straight birdies from the seventh at the stunning Royal Park I Roveri course.
Darren Clarke and former Open Championship winners Paul Lawrie and John Daly were among the afternoon starters.
Ramsay said: "It's bittersweet - I would have taken being top of the leaderboard, but the way I played I felt I could have made a bit of a gap."
He did not get up and down from just over the green at the 17th or 18th and added: "It's an area of my game that's a weakness."
On the course Gareth Maybin holed his approach at the 404 yard 13th for an eagle two to go six under, with England's Marcus Higley hot on his heels at four under after nine.
