Lee Westwood made the most of the favourable scoring conditions to open up a one-shot lead after the opening round of the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open.
Westwood, who last won the event in 1998, carded two birdies and five birdies on his way to a bogey-free 62 at the Renaissance Club and set the early pace in the Rolex Series event.
Alexander Bjork and Joost Luiten sit a shot off the pace in a share of second, with Scott Jamieson in fourth spot and the best of the 15-strong Scottish contingent after a seven-under 64.
The early starters were faced with cold, wet and windy weather, with Australia's Min Woo Lee - who posted a five-under 66 - the only player from the morning wave within five shots of the lead.
Westwood almost holed for albatross after a stunning fairway wood into the par-five third, setting up a close-range eagle, before following a birdie at the fifth by holing a 25-foot eagle at the seventh.
After reaching the turn in 31, Westwood posted three straight birdies from the 12th and then took advantage of the par-five 16th to close out a blemish-free card and equal the course record.
Bjork raced up the leaderboard after five birdies in his opening six holes but then missed a three-footer to save par at the 17th, before adding four birdies in a six-hole stretch after the turn to get within one of the lead.
Luiten joined the Swede on eight under after birdieing three of his last four holes in one of the last groups out on the course, while Jamieson is two off the pace after mixing nine birdies with two bogeys.
A penultimate-hole bogey dropped Scotland's Craig Lee three back alongside Robert Rock and Finland's Kalle Samooja, while Lee was two shots better than any of the other morning starters.
Tommy Fleetwood - the highest-ranked player in the field - recovered from two early bogeys to begin with a two-under 69, while last year's winner Bernd Wiesberger opened his title defence with a first-round 70.
Watch the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open throughout the week live on Sky Sports. Live coverage continues on Friday from 11.30am on Sky Sports Golf and Sky Sports Main Event.