The 35-year-old, who's 68th in the DP World Tour rankings, fired eight birdies in a bogey-free first round at Son Muntaner Golf Club in Palma on Thursday.

He birdied the 2nd, 5th, 8th and 9th holes to sit four-under after the outward nine and sank four more – at the 11th, 12th, 15th and 17th – on his way back in.

He sits one shot ahead of the Netherlands' Daan Huizing, who eagled the par-five 17th and birdied the last, and two ahead of Denmark's Rasmus Hojgaard, Austria's Lukas Nemecz and Spain's Alejandro Canizares, who all shot 65s.

Scottish pair Marc Warren and Connor Syme are tied in ninth, alongside last year's winner Jeff Winther and seven others, four shots off the lead after four-under-par rounds of 67.

On a day when 61 players went under par, the only Australian to do so was veteran Scott Hend, who carded a one-under 70 to lie tied for 45th.

Both Jason Scrivener and Maverick Antcliff ended on level par as the three Aussies managed a total of only three birdies between them.