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Turkish Airlines Open: Miguel Angel Jimenez makes flying start with first-round 63

Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain plays into the 11th green during the first round of the 2014 Turkish Airlines Open
Image: Miguel Angel Jimenez: Stunning opening round

Miguel Angel Jiménez rolled back the years again to card an opening nine-under par 63 to lead the Turkish Airlines Open after day one.

The 50-year-old Spaniard holed his first approach shot of the day to the 10th for an unlikely eagle and followed that up with seven birdies in a flawless display.

That left him one ahead of Ian Poulter, with rookie Tyrrell Hatton, Australian Wade Ormsby and Zimbabwe’s Brendon de Jonge on seven under after a low-scoring day in Antalya, which saw 50 of the 78-strong field break par.

"It's a good start. It's nice making a low score, it's been a while," said Jimenez, whose round included holing out from 105 yards on his opening hole. "It's special because I've been struggling a little bit the last few months and (when) you shoot under par, you feel good.

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"I like the golf course with the trees on it. It feels nice and you have everything, you have some long holes, you have some short holes and you have a mix. I feel comfortable on this golf course."

Poulter was extremely happy with the second-round 67 he carded last week in the HSBC Champions but admits his round of 64 on Thursday could top it.

"It was good golf today," he said. "Teeing off on the 10th hole you have to make a quick start, knowing you've got some opportunities coming up before you've reached the stretch of five, six, seven, eight and nine, which you can slip up on.

More from Turkish Airlines Open 2014

First round leaderboard

(GB & Ire unless stated)

-9 M-A Jimenez (Spa)
-8 I Poulter
-7 T Hatton
-7 W Ormsby
-7 B de Jonge (Zim)

Click here for collated scores

"I took care of the par fives really nicely today, six under on the par fives, which is always a key to scoring well, especially when you've got five of them.

"You're going to have to do that well this week, play them well under par to have a chance to win."

Spain's Sergio Garcia, Jamie Donaldson of Wales and Germany's Marcel Siem are all attempting to prevent Rory McIlroy being crowned European number one for the second time in two years but all three struggled to make an impression on Thursday.

Siem's 70 was the best round, although this will have been a disappointment to the BMW Masters winner, who was five under par after 12 holes.

Donaldson falling back from three under to level par and Garcia struggled to a 75 to leave him 12 shots off the lead.

A forecast of thunderstorms in the area means Friday's second-round tee times have been brought forward by 90 minutes.

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