England's Ryan Evans took a one-shot lead in the first round of the D+D Real Czech Masters as Ryder Cup hopefuls Matthew Fitzpatrick and Andy Sullivan endured a day of contrasting fortunes in Prague.
Evans was playing in just his 21st event on the European Tour but showed the nerves of a veteran to hole a 10-foot putt on the last to sign for a 66 and a six-under-par total.
That was good enough to give him a one-shot lead over defending champion Thomas Pieters and Swede Peter Hanson, with 32 players within four shots of the lead at Albatros Golf Resort.
Belgian Pieters - fresh off the back of a fourth-placed finish at the Olympics - held a two-shot lead before recording a double-bogey on the eighth, while Hanson was bogey-free in his 67.
English duo Robert Coles and Graeme Storm, Scotsmen Scott Jamieson and Craig Lee, Wales' Bradley Dredge, Swede Robert Karlsson and Denmark's Jeff Winther were at four under, a shot clear of Fitzpatrick.
The Sheffield native currently holds the final qualifying spot for Darren Clarke's European Ryder Cup team and is aiming for a good week to secure his place at Hazeltine.
Sullivan is a place ahead of Fitzpatrick in the standings but he may struggle to make the cut on Friday after an opening three-over-par 75.
Lee Westwood will be relying on a captain's pick if he is to get to a 10th Ryder Cup in September, and he was four shots off the lead after an opening 70.
Of the Irish involved; Paul Dunne of Greystones is level par, with Dublin’s Peter Lawrie one shot further back and Ardglass man Cormac Sharvin is five over.
