Marcus Fraser of Australia and Paraguay's Fabrizio Zanotti shared the clubhouse lead in the first round of the BMW International Open at Gut Larchenhof in Germany with 8-under 64.
Germany's Bernhard Langer, aged 54, has not won this event and did not make a great start on Thursday, finishing on par 72.
Compatriot Martin Kaymer only went one better on 71.
Alongside on 71 was Spain's Sergio Garcia, who joined them with a birdie at the last.
Veteran John Daly of USA hit one of the best shots of the day when he teed off the 4th, setting up a birdie. Daly finished on 4-under 68.
But the best shot of the day was probably Marcel Siem of Germany's third at the 3rd, from bunker to hole for an eagle. He finished on 4-under 68.
Paul McGinley of Ireland hit a bogey-free 65 for 7-under joint second, including a birdie at the 18th.
A pair of Englishmen, Danny Willett and Chris Wood, also shot 7-under 65 for joint second.
Fraser had a bogey-free round, sinking three birdies going out, then consecutively from 13-16 and again at the last, putting him only one shot off his lowest ever European Tour score.
Zanotti, who started at the 10th, shot eagles at the 13th and 16th and birdies at the 11th and 14th, but double bogeyed the 18th. He then picked up three more shots before dropping one at the 6th, then sinking birdies at the 8th and 9th.
Reuters