Padraig Harrington struck an impressive 67 to lie three strokes off the leader Jack Senior after Round 1 of the abrdn Scottish Open at the Renaissance Club.
Starting on the 10th, Harrington opened with two successive birdies, another another at the 15th (his sixth) to get to the turn in -3.
He was rocked back by a bogey at the second hole but finished well with birdies at the par-4 5th and the par-3 9th to leave him at -4.
He finds himself three back from 32-year-old Englishman Jack Senior who carded a whopping eight birdies en route to a round of 64.
In between is a field nicely speckled with star names. 2017 PGA Champion Justin Thomas is just one off the leader on -6, landing a spectacular 90ft eagle at the last to card a bogey-free round of 65.
Thomas is tied second with England's Lee Westwood.
Jon Rahm carried on from where he left off in his first start since winning the US Open with a 66 matched by Fleetwood, Matt Fitzpatrick and Ian Poulter.
Rory McIlroy, meanwhile, ended a frustrating day on a high with two late birdies to finish one under. Playing with Rahm and Thomas in the most high profile three-ball on course, the four-time major winner had alternated birdies with bogeys for six holes in a row between the 3rd and 8th in a patchy round.
Of the remainder of Irish players, Cormac Sharvin joins McIlroy on -1 after a round of 70, while Graeme McDowell and Jonathan Caldwell are at +2 and +3 respectively.
