Kristian Krogh Johannessen carded the lowest round of his European Tour career to set the clubhouse target ahead of a host of home favourites on day one of the Open de España.
Spain’s national open was returning to Club de Campo Villa de Madrid for the first time in 23 years, and it looked like local heroes would dominate the headlines in the capital as playing partners Adri Arnaus, Rafa Cabrera Bello and Jon Rahm all made bright starts in the marquee group.
But Johannessen birdied four of his last six holes to card a 63 that saw the Norwegian jump out to eight under, two shots clear of Arnaus and three ahead of Cabrera Bello and defending champion Rahm.
Italian Andrea Pavan and German Marcel Siem were also at five under. South Africa’s Dean Burmester joined the pair late on after a round that included three birdies on either nine.
Johannessen missed his first nine cuts after graduating from the Qualifying School last year but had preferred lies not been in play he would have entered the history books in Madrid, with his 63 matching the course record and lowest opening round in the event’s history.
Arnaus made a blistering start, registering birdies on the 13th, 16th, 17th and 18th, and an eagle on the par five 14th to jump to six under.
A poor tee shot on the second led to his only dropped shot of the day and players began gathering alongside him at five under, including his playing partners.
Cabrera Bello birded the fourth to go with gains on the tenth, 14th, 16th and 18th, while Rahm needed to take a more varied route to his 66.
The four time European Tour winner birdied the 14th, 15th and 17th but bogeyed the 18th before picking the shot straight back up. An up-and-down on the par five fourth brought another gain before he holed from 15 feet at the eighth.
Arnaus had missed golden birdie opportunities on the seventh and eighth but he made no mistake on the ninth, holing from 15 feet to take the solo lead.
He soon had company in Johannessen, however, as the 24-year-old moved through the field.
Birdies on the 13th and 14th were followed by an eagle two on the next but he bogeyed the 16th before picking the shot straight back up.
Back to back birdies on the fourth and fifth moved him into a share of the lead and further gains on the seventh and ninth moved him clear.
Siem made a fast start as he turned in 32 with birdies on the fourth, fifth, eighth and ninth, and another gain on the 15th put him in a share of the lead before he made a brilliant par saving up-and-down on the last.
Pavan – already a winner this season at the BMW International Open – was also bogey free with birdies on the 14th, 15th, third, fourth and seventh.
Gaganjeet Bhullar, Nicolas Colsaerts, Samuel Del Val, Sihwan Kim, South Africa’s Zander Lombard and Jason Scrivener were all four shots off the lead.
Justin Harding made two birdies on either side but two bogeys forced him to sign for a 69 with Justin Walters sandwiched in between the Lombard group and Harding.
