Starting on the back nine at Golf Costa Adeje in Tenerife, Enoch birdied the 10th, made an eagle on the par-5 11th and then holed out from 122 yards for another eagle on the next.

Birdies on the 13th and 14th meant Enoch had covered his first five holes in seven-under and another birdie on the 8th left him needing to play the remaining 10 in four-under to record only the second 59 in European Tour history.

With three par-5s in his next four holes that looked a distinct possibility, only for Enoch to bogey the 18th and 1st and eventually sign for a six-under-par total which left him three shots behind Italy's Francesco Laporta.

"I think I just got a little excited," the 32-year-old Welshman admitted.

"I was calm, but excited on 18 because I was thinking it was a reachable par-5 to go 10-under through nine.

"I think I just got a little excited. I was calm, but excited on 18 because I was thinking it was a reachable par-5 to go 10-under through nine." – Rhys Enoch

"I just got really quick off the tee, hit a snapper (hook) and I don't really tend to hit those shots. I ended up scrambling for bogey. From there it was just a mish-mash really. Loads of good golf, two bad swings, some great saves.

Laporta also had the chance to shoot 59 after recovering from a bogey on the 10th with an eagle and three birdies in his next four holes to reach nine-under, but could only par the remaining four to card a 62.

The Italian said: "It was one of those days when everything goes in the right direction. I started thinking about 59 also, when I was nine-under through 14.

"But I'm still nine under so I'm pretty happy about the round."

Scott Hend was the leading Australian after the opening round, having shot a 67. Still, scoring was generally so low that his four-under-par round was only enough to leave the 47-year-old in joint-27th position.

His compatriots Austin Bautista and Maverick Antcliff were both one-under while Queenslander Jake McLeod shot a three-over 74.

- Phil Casey, PAA