Antoine Rozner continued his love affair with Mauritius as he began the defence of his AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open title by breaking a host of personal records at La Réserve Golf Links at Heritage Golf Club.
The Frenchman signed for a brilliant 62 to match his lowest round on the DP World Tour and carded his lowest nine as he covered the tenth to the 18th in 29 shots.
That moved him to ten under - his lowest 18-hole score to par - and handed him a one-shot lead over England's Paul Waring.
The 30-year-old was 11 under after 14 holes with thoughts turning to a 59 but dropped two shots in his last four as he matched the lowest round of the season so far.
Rozner finished seventh at this event in the 2019 season at Four Seasons Golf Club before losing out in a play-off the following year at Heritage Golf Club.
His victory last season at Mont Choisy Le Golf was his third on the DP World Tour and he is once again enjoying his time in the Indian Ocean.
"I just think I have good vibes here," he said. "Maybe the ocean helps me disconnect a little bit in the evening, I can go for a swim and relax a little bit more than usual.
"The atmosphere is amazing, the people here are very friendly, it's French-speaking. I feel just like at home and I'm enjoying myself a lot here."
Starting on the tenth, Rozner birdied his opener and the 12th, 13th, 15th and 16th before holing a bunker shot at the 18th for an eagle.
He then put approaches inside six feet at the first and second and holed from 12 feet at the third, with a two-putt birdie at the par-five fifth prompting thoughts of the magic number.
Those were ended after he found water on the next but he hit back with two putts on the par-five eighth before dropping a shot on the ninth after missing the green.
"I definitely thought about 59 after the birdie on number five that got me to 11 under with a few holes to go including a driveable par four and a par five," he added.
"Unfortunately that bad tee-shot on number six cost me that magic score but it's golf, it's a phenomenal round, probably the hottest I've ever been on the course.
"I'm really happy with my round, an amazing score - ten under is my lowest score ever - an amazing day."
Waring was bogey-free in his 63, birdieing the second before making a hat-trick of gains from the fourth.
He then picked up shots on the tenth, 13th and 15th before a birdie-birdie finish saw Rozner's lead trimmed to one - an advantage that had been five shots when the leader had earlier birdied the fifth to get to 11 under.
"I'm made up to shoot nine under," said Waring. "It's a really nice low opening round, it puts me into the tournament.
"I saw Antoine Rozner going really deep early this morning so I knew there was a low one out there... I felt like I played nicely today and kept control of it.
"It was a little bit unexpected in total honesty but to be fair I felt like I was playing myself into form last week at Leopard Creek, I played a lot of good golf there."
South African Jayden Schaper was at seven under after a 65 containing an eagle, seven birdies and two bogeys as he seeks a win that would see him finish top of the Opening Swing standings.
Darren Fichardt, who can also top the Opening Swing Rankings this week, was at six under alongside fellow South African Lyle Rowe, American Dan Erickson and England's Laurie Canter, one clear of a group of seven players.
