The South American did not drop a shot either, two runs of three straight birdies from the third and then from the 13th propelling him up the leaderboard.

Lawrie put his impressive opening round down to his putting.

"I putted lovely. I played solidly, I didn't play poorly, but I rolled the ball extremely well," Lawrie said on www.europeantour.com.

"The greens this week are some of the best we've seen all year and when the greens are fast and they roll well I tend to hole puts so I did that today.

"When the greens are fast I normally hole my share so I'm hoping that continues."

The leading pair were one shot ahead of England's David Horsey.

Horsey was just one under after the front nine, but picked up five more birdies in his next seven holes to put himself firmly in contention.

Four players, including English pair Simon Khan and Richard Finch and Scotland's Gary Orr, were in a tie for fourth on five-under.

Khan finished with a flourish, four of his six birdies coming in the final five holes after a bogey at the ninth had left him on level par halfway through his round.

Orr also had a more impressive back nine, picking up four shots in three holes with a run of birdie-eagle-birdie at the 12th, 13th and 14th.

Finch had four birdies, a bogey and an eagle, also at the par-five 13th.

France's Jean-Baptiste Gonnet was the third player to card a 66, shooting five birdies in a bogey-free round.

Six players followed on four under, including Richard Bland of England, Scot David Drysdale and Ireland's Michael Hoey.

Bland and Drysdale both had eventful rounds featuring seven birdies and three bogeys, while Huey carded six birdies and two bogeys.