Graeme McDowell lies just one shot behind leader Jose Manual Lara after the first day of the Volvo Masters.
McDowell had two birdies on the front nine and two coming home in a bogey-free round of 67 at Valderrama.
Alongside him on four under par are Richard Green and Niclas Fasth after a five-under 66.
Padraig Harrington, who is second in the Order of Merit title race struggled with a two-over 73, the same as fellow Irishman Paul McGinley.
Damien McGrane had a triple-bogey seven on his way to a five-over-par first round of 76.
Order of Merit leader Paul Casey was handicapped by illness as he carded a 76.
If Harrington wins this weekend there is nothing Casey can do to stop him finishing top of the Order of Merit.
But the Dubliner fell back from two under after seven to two over.
"I should have been four under after five," he said.
"I hit a few bad putts and was not trusting my reads after that. There you go - it goes like that some days.
"It was obviously a tough day for Paul. He was struggling to get round and
nothing seemed to go right for him either."