Scotland's Craig Lee made a flying start to the Spanish Open on Thursday as he looked to make up for a disappointing European Tour campaign.
Lee is 148th on the Race to Dubai after making the cut in four of his eight events so far, but found himself on top of the leaderboard in the early stages at Valderrama.
The 38-year-old from Stirling holed his approach to the second for an eagle two and then birdied the par-five fourth to move to three under par, a shot clear of a six-strong group including compatriot Richie Ramsay and two-time major winner Martin Kaymer.
Kaymer, who had been scheduled to play on the PGA Tour this week but changed his plans when Valderrama was announced as this week's venue, had started his round on the back nine with three straight birdies before dropping a shot on the 14th.
Tournament host Sergio Garcia, who won the l ast European Tour event to be hosted here in 2011, was playing alongside Kaymer and bogeyed the opening hole before carding birdies on the 14th and 15th.
However, a bogey on the 16th dropped the world number 16 back to level par alongside the final member of his group, England's Chris Wood having bogeyed the 11th and birdied the 13th.
Denmark's Soren Kjeldsen, who won the Volvo Masters at Valderrama in 2008 and arrived on the back of a tie for seventh in the Masters, was one under par after three birdies and two bogeys in his first eight holes.
Compatriot JB Hansen had not fared as well, however, the 25-year-old retiring with a back injury after completing the front nine in 13 over par, including a nine on the par-five fourth.
Source: PA
