Denmark's Thorbjorn Olesen enjoyed a dream return to competitive action by claiming a share of the lead after the opening round of the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open.
Playing just his fifth European Tour event in 2015, having been troubled by injury, Olesen carded eight birdies and two bogeys at Heritage Golf Club to card a six-under-par 65 and join South Korea's Jeunghun Wang and Spain's Carlos Pigem at the top of the leaderboard.
Kevin Phelan, the only Irish player competing in the event, had a positive start and the Waterford man lies just three shots off the lead, tied in 14th spot after a round of 68.
The 24-year-old might of made a stronger challenge, however, but for a double-bogey and two bogeys pegging back his seven birdies overall for the day.
Olesen discovered a tendon problem in his left hand over the winter but battled on for four events - missing the cut in the last three - before undergoing surgery after his last appearance in Malaysia at the start of February.
"I've been waiting a long time for this - three months to play a competition round," the 25-year-old said. "I was excited to get out there this morning. We had great conditions and I hit a lot of great putts, so it was fun.
"Being out for three and a half months is a long time, especially when you can't do anything.
"You are just doing rehab training, so it is frustrating. I'm excited to be out here again and I'll be playing a lot of golf now.
"I'm really pleased to be back out here on the European Tour and play competition golf. I've been practising hard over the last two weeks but you don't know what it will be like when you get out here.
"I didn't have the biggest expectations. I knew I was swinging the club better than I have been, but you never know what will happen, so I couldn't be happier with this start. It's an awesome start.
"Having a break is very nice, but having a break because of injury is not very nice. You play so much golf so sometimes it is nice to get away from it and clear your mind, but I would definitely have preferred to have been without that injury."
In the first event to be tri-sanctioned by the European, Asian and Sunshine Tours, all three were well represented with Wang and Pigem members of the Asian Tour and Sunshine Tour member Oliver Bekker one off the lead alongside Australian Terry Pilkadaris.
Wang carded six birdies and no bogeys in his round, while Pigem matched Olesen with eight birdies and two dropped shots.
Olesen's fellow Dane Thomas Bjorn, whose appearances have also been restricted due to injury, could only manage an opening 74 to lie eight shots off the lead.
