Catlin, who earlier this month secured a place in May's US PGA Championship by winning the Austrian Open, started from the 10th hole at Costa Adeje, a par-71 layout, in Thursday's opening round and covered the first 13 holes in 10-under par.

That left the American needing to play the last five in two-under to join England's Oliver Fisher in carding a 59.

Good birdie chances went begging on the 5th and 7th, though, before the 30-year-old's round ended in anti-climax as he bogeyed his last two holes.

"It's hard not to have 59 in your mind." – John Catlin

An eight-under-par 63 gave Catlin a share of second place with last week's winner Garrick Higgo, Dean Burmester and Alexander Bjork, a shot behind Denmark's Thorbjorn Olesen, who shot a spectacular 62.

"It's hard not to have 59 in your mind," Catlin admitted. "I was still able to execute good golf shots and I had some good chances on both the par-3s.

Playing just his second event of 2021 due to a combination of testing positive for COVID-19, a wrist injury and becoming a father for the first time, Olesen set the pace after a round containing 10 birdies and one bogey.

Scott Hend and Maverick Antcliff ensured the Australian challenge got off to an encouraging start as they both shot five-under par rounds of 66 to lie in joint-16th place, while Jake McLeod fired a three-under 68.

- Phil Casey, PAA