Day one digest: Turkish Airlines Open

Everything you need to know from day one at Montgomerie Maxx Royal.

Schwab maintained momentum, the Englishmen finished big and Rolex Series specialists were on the prowl after day one of the Turkish Airlines Open.

Here is everything you need to know from Thursday at The Montgomerie Maxx Royal.

Schwab on a roll

Matthias Schwab entered the last Rolex Series event at the Italian Open with seven top tens in a very consistent season but he entered this one having found another level. Top fives In Rome and on debut at the WGC-HSBC Champions have proved he can mix it with the best and he was at it again in Turkey as a seven under par 65 left him in a share of the lead as he looks for a first European Tour win. "I'm just trying to give it my best," he said. "Every time I tee it up, it seems to be working well the last few months but I have no recipe."

Big finish has Lewis flying

Tom Lewis admitted that as he walked off the 11th on Thursday that he could not see where his next birdie was coming from. It came at the 12th and was followed by more on the 13th, 15th, 16th, 17th and last as he signed for a 65 to sit at the top of the leaderboard. "I holed a lot of putts out there," he said. "It just happened to be my back nine and I had good fun. The course suits me and hopefully I can make more tomorrow."

Speaking of big finishes............

Blooming brilliant from Rose

The two time defending champion was scrambling to keep his round together over the first 15 holes on Thursday, although he did produce this moment of absolute magic for an eagle on the 11th.

He really came to life with a birdie-birdie-birdie finish that catapulted him to within two of the lead and that, of course, contained yet more brilliance on the 17th.

He was alongside fellow double Rolex Series champion Danny Willett but that was one behind another man with two Rolex Series wins.

Noren finds form

Alex Noren has yet to register a top ten in a disappointing Race to Dubai by his high standards but the Swede matched his lowest round of the season with a 66 on day one in Turkey. "I haven't played good enough so I need a few more points to get closer to the top," he said. "I think my game has gotten a lot better the last few months. I'm just trying to kind of put all the parts of the game together, which I did today."

Belgian bombers flying

There must be something in the water in Belgium that makes you hit the long ball. Thomas Pieters and Nicolas Colsaerts are both huge hitters with wins this season and Thomas Detry - still searching for a first European Tour victory - is no slouch either. Well on Thursday, Pieters carded a bogey free 66 that involved him eagling the par five first, birdieing the long last after getting on in two and also making a gain on the tenth after driving the green at the 362 yard par four. Detry carded a 67 after eagling the fourth and making birdies on the three par fives on the back nine. Boom.