India's SSP Chawrasia opened with a modest one-over 73 in the first round of the BMW PGA Championships here.
It is a flagship event of the European Tour, which is also the start of inaugural and premium Rolex Series of events, each of which carries seven million euros prize purse.
Chawrasia, winner of the Hero Indian Open last two years on the European Tour, was one-under through 14 holes, before bogeys on 15th and 16th set him back to 73. He is the only Indian in the field.
Swede Johan Carlsson set the target with a six under par 66 but 13 players were within two shots of the lead including two other Swedes Alex Noren and Henrik Stenson, Italy's Francesco Molinari, Ryder Cup hero Thomas Pieters and six-time European Tour winner Branden Grace.
Wentworth Club has changed a lot in the last 12 months, with 29 bunkers removed and all the others redesigned but it was a bunker that brought the moment of the day on the 15th.
Sitting at three-under for his round, Noren holed out from the sand for a stunning gain that kept him well and truly in contention for a ninth European Tour title.
Pieters was dominant both off the tee and on the greens, having the longest average drive and taking the least putts of anybody -- 22 -- on day one.
If it was not for a bogey on the last, he would have been just one shot off the lead, and the Belgian was happy with his day's work.
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