Little-known Indian Arjun Atwal eclipsed the European stars with nine birdies in the first round of the £515,625 Malaysian Open.

The 26-year-old shot a seven-under-par 65 to seize a one-shot lead over Zhang Lian-wei of China at Kuala Lumpur's Templer Park Country Club.

The course is surrounded by fencing to keep out tigers and the players have been warned that some holes are plagued by snakes.

Mark Mouland was the best British performer on the first day of the event.

The Welshman is level in third after a 67, alongside Thailand's rising star Thongchai Jaidee, former US PGA Tour player Ted Purdy and Denmark's Steen Tinning of Denmark.

European Tour stars Retief Goosen of South Africa and Ireland's Ryder Cup player Padraig Harrington both shot 68s.

Germany's two-time Masters champion Bernhard Langer was one-over-par at 73 - a disastrous double bogey seven at the par-five third hole wrecking his hopes of a decent round.

Instead dashing Indian Atwal was the star, peppering the flags and sinking almost all his birdies putts. His longest effort was from 12 ft at the 15th hole, his sixth of the day.

Atwal, whose only previous glimpse of stardom came three years ago when he tied for the first round lead at the Johnnie Walker Classic in Australia, said afterwards: "I played really well today and didn't make many mistakes.

"When I was younger, I didn't know how to handle it (leading) but it's fun to be leading here."

Leading first round scores in the Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur (par 72):

65 A Atwal (Ind)
66 Z Lian-Wei (Chn)
67 M Mouland (Wal), T Jaidee (Tha), S Tinning (Den), T Purdy (USA)
68 T Sriroj (Tha), B Ruangkit (Tha), P Harrington (Irl), JM Singh (Ind), A Butterfield (Eng), R Goosen (Rsa), M Scarpa (Ita)
69 P No-Seok (Kor), S Taylor (USA), I Hutchings (Rsa)
70 D Park (Eng), P Sjoland (Swe), K Yonekura (Jpn), J Haeggman (Swe), T Levet (Fra), D Wilson (USA), A Raitt (Eng), S Dyson (Eng), H Buhrmann (Rsa)
Selected others:
73 Bernhard Langer (Ger)