The 32-year-old saved par on the first after finding a fairway bunker off the tee and coming up short of the green with his approach, while he also got up and down from sand on the par-three second.

A bogey on the third was followed by birdies at the fourth and fifth and two more birdies on the eighth and ninth took Rose alongside former British amateur champion Ilonen, who had picked up shots at the fourth, sixth and ninth.

A chilly morning saw Rory McIlroy wearing thick black gloves between shots as he teed off alongside Ryder Cup team-mates Graeme McDowell and Paul Lawrie, with the world number two missing two good birdie chances on the opening two holes.

McIlroy, still seeking a first win of 2013 after five victories around the world last season, birdied the third and after a bogey on the fifth picked up shots on the sixth and ninth to be two under.

McDowell – back on good terms with McIlroy after confirming the two-time major winner is set to leave Horizon Sports Management to set up on his own – had carded nine straight pars to remain level, while Lawrie was one over after two bogeys and one birdie.

Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez, making his 600th European Tour appearance, was four off the lead on one over after 11 holes.

Sergio Garcia, who yesterday issued an unreserved apology to Tiger Woods for what could be construed as a racist remark about the world number one, was among the later starters alongside Luke Donald and Spain’s Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano.

Ilonen, whose last European Tour win came in 2007, briefly moved two clear of the field with birdies at the 14th and 15th, the latter from six feet after a superb approach to the 489-yard par four.

But a first bogey of the day on the 16th dropped him back to four under and one ahead of McIlroy, who had birdied the par-five 12th after hitting his second shot just through the green and chipping to three feet.

Rose was a shot further back after a clumsy chip on the 13th cost him a bogey five.