Ben Evans fired an impressive opening 65 to take a one-shot lead midway through day one of the KLM Open at The Dutch.
The Englishman had a strong finish to last season to secure his playing privileges and he is looking to do the same again, registering seven birdies and a bogey to get to six under.
Evans had a remarkable 2015 season, playing 21 events despite not having a full exemption category and he secured his card in dramatic fashion at the UBS Hong Kong Open with a closing 65.
That moved him to the agonising 111th spot on the Race to Dubai but when Brooks Koepka was taken out of the rankings the following day, Evans had earned a full rookie season.
That season started well but he has made just three of his last 13 cuts and is searching for a strong end to the season to move up from his current Race to Dubai position of 143rd.
Byeong-hun An, Nino Bertasio, Chris Hanson, Peter Hanson, Mikko Korhonen, Joakim Lagergren and Bernd Wiesberger were then all a shot behind in perfect scoring conditions at the European Tour Destination.
Evans began his round on the back nine and after picking up a birdie on the tenth, added four in a row from the 12th before dropping his only shot of the day on the 17th. Birdies on the first and fourth followed before five closing pars made him the man to catch.
South Korean An and Swede Peter Hanson were playing partners and they put on a masterclass on the sixth as both men put their approaches on the par five inside ten feet to record eagles.
They both also recorded six birdies and three bogeys in a highly entertaining group for the sizeable crowds in Spijk.
England's Chris Hanson made a seventh birdie of the day on the eighth to join Evans at the summit but gave the shot straight back on the ninth - his last.
Finn Korhonen came home in 30 in his 66 while Austria's Wiesberger - who also started on the tenth - was bogey free on his back nine after turning in 34.
Swede Lagergren holed his second on the 439-yard par four 12th to go with six birdies and three bogeys, while Italian Bertasio signed for six birdies and a single blemish.
Englishmen Matthew Baldwin, Richard Bland, Oliver Fisher, Tommy Fleetwood, Mark Foster and David Horsey were then in the group two shots off the lead alongside Spaniard Alejandro Cañizares, Frenchman Raphaël Jacquelin and Italy's Matteo Manassero, with 61 players under par.
Defending champion Thomas Pieters was dealt a blow as he was forced to withdraw following a major allergic reaction after being stung by a bee on Monday.
The in-form 24 year old was stung during a challenge match against Dutch number one Joost Luiten - who recorded an opening 69 - and went on to develop flu-like symptoms.