Australia's Jason Scrivener, Italy's Francesco Laporta and France's Thomas Linard share the lead after the opening day of the Hassan Trophy, with Kevin Phelan the leading Irish charge in Rabat.
Scrivener, Laporta and Linard all carded four-under-par rounds of 68 at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam to finish a shot ahead of the chasing pack, which included world number 1,117 home favourite Younes El Hassani.
Waterford man Phelan carded a two-under-par 70 to trail the leaders by two.
Gary Hurley is a shot further back alongside Peter Lawrie after both carded solid 71s. Greystones' Paul Dunne bogeyed the 17th to sign off with a level-par 72.
Former Walker Cup player Cormac Sharvin went round in a one-over 73, with Michael Hoey on five-over after a disappointing 77, and Rory McNamara three behind the Northern Irish man following his opening 80.
Hassani, whose only made cut in 17 appearances on the European Tour came at the same venue in 2010, carded three birdies and no bogeys in a flawless 69 to finish alongside Adrien Saddier, Tani Goya, Mike Lorenzo-Vera and Borja Virto Astudillo.
Paul Dunne's "two thumb" putting grip.#TropheeHassanII pic.twitter.com/Ta8PPjtnrW
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"I played good today," Hassani told Sky Sports. "I hit a couple of fairways and when you do that it's easier on the second shot to hit the green.
"I also made a couple of [recovery] shots like Seve [Ballesteros] and made three birdies and no bogeys."
The Red course in Rabat measures almost 7,500 yards - the Blue course is staging the Lalla Meryem Cup on the Ladies European Tour this week - and Hassani added: "It's a very big course for me - 250 metres is a long hit for me. I have to play good tomorrow and shoot one or two under, depending on the weather and my game."
Scrivener finished 117th in the Race to Dubai last season and had to regain his card through the qualifying school for the second consecutive year, but has missed just one cut in nine events and was third in the Perth International in February.
"It was pretty tricky out there this morning, pretty wet and quite cold, so to shoot a 68 in those conditions was very pleasing," Scrivener said.
"There are some tricky holes early on, so to birdie two of my first four was just the sort of start I was looking for. After that, I hung in there well and putted nicely, so it was a good day all round."
Laporta, who also came through the qualifying school in November, was two over par after three holes but recovered brilliantly with four birdies and an eagle.
"I played very badly for the first five events, but last week in Madrid on the Challenge Tour was much better," he said. "I finished fourth and took a lot of confidence from the week, so hopefully that has turned my season around."
Linard was two shots clear of the field after five birdies and an eagle in his first 13 holes, but dropped two shots on the closing stretch to settle for a share of the lead.
Spanish Open champion Andrew Johnston was among those two shots off the lead after an opening 70, the 27-year-old showing no signs of being affected by the celebrations which followed his maiden title at Valderrama last month.
Johnston carded four birdies and two bogeys to finish a shot ahead of South Africa's Dean Burmester and France's Alexander Levy, who at 97th and 100th respectively are the only players in the world's top 100 in the field.
