Nicolas Colsaerts grabbed the clubhouse lead during the first round of the ISPS Handa Wales Open, but admitted to feeling pangs of jealousy towards those in the field heading to The Ryder Cup next week after missing out on a second appearance in the event at Gleneagles.
Colsaerts carded a five under par 66 to set the target at The Celtic Manor Resort, where Jamie Donaldson returned a 70 and Lee Westwood a 73.
Stephen Gallacher and Thomas Björn were among the later starters and all four had dinner with European Captain Paul McGinley on Wednesday night, a dinner Colsaerts could not help but notice.
"I saw them having dinner and thought 'I wish I was in that room," said Colsaerts, who carded eight birdies and an eagle in a fourball win alongside Westwood at Medinah two years ago.
"It's their adventure and I am not part of it, but once you play in one Ryder Cup, you don't want to miss another one."
Colsaerts was one over par after seven holes of his round but then made an eagle on the 18th after smashing a drive 447 yards - a European Tour record - and hitting a gap wedge to the green on the 613 yard par five.
"I thought it was too far right but it's all downhill and downwind and it must have luged down the fairway," Colsaerts added. "If all the stars align you can hit it a long way."
The 31 year old Belgian then birdied the first, second, fifth and seventh to hold a one shot lead over South Africa’s Justin Walters and English pair Robert Rock and Sam Walker.
Rock, whose last top-ten finish came seven months ago in Dubai, was pleased to see some improvement in his short game.
“Probably for the last month I've been playing good,” he said. “The rest of the year has been pretty horrific.
“I've been driving the ball well for months, and wasting every opportunity that brings. My iron play has been good for two weeks, the putting has been hit and miss, but the past two weeks have been good, so I hope I can drag that on for a little bit longer.”
Colsaerts’ playing partner Tommy Fleetwood - who won the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles last year - Ireland's Shane Lowry, England’s Steve Webster and Portugal's Ricardo Santos were all two shots off the pace.
In anticipation of some of his team playing this week, McGinley asked for the course to be set up in a similar fashion to Gleneagles and Fleetwood said: "The par fives are a little bit easier around Gleneagles I think, but apart from that, it's similar.
"I like the course and I enjoy playing it. It suits me and if there's a few more similarities to Gleneagles I'll be happy."
The best performance from the afternoon starters was coming from 2012 winner Thongchai Jaidee, who raced to the turn in 32 and then, having dropped a shot at the tenth, birdied the 11th and 12th to join Colsaerts on five under.
Björn was one over through 13 holes, four shots better off than playing partner Gallacher.