Marc Warren on his way to an opening round of 63 at the Portugal Masters (Getty Images)

When the Scot began his round with six straight birdies, the talk of a potential 59 on the rough-free layout at Victoria Clube de Golfe looked like it may be proved correct, but a bogey on the seventh stalled the momentum as he went on to make three further gains in an eight under par 63.


Warren is safe at 67th in the Race to Dubai, but other players in the field are fighting for their lives and none more so than Eddie Pepperell, who holds the 110th spot – with the top 111 players keeping their cards come Sunday night.


The Englishman made a mockery of the pressure of his precarious position by firing a 64 – which included four birdies and an eagle immediately after the turn – to sit a shot off the lead alongside countrymen Matthew Baldwin and Callum Shinkwin, Finn Mikko Kornhonen and American David Lipsky.


Korhonen needs to finish in the top 26 to have a chance of keeping his card this week, while nothing but a top two finish will do for Baldwin.


Swede Jens Fahrbring also needs to finish in the top two, and he was on six under alongside Spanish duo Alejandro Cañizares and Nacho Elvira, England’s Chris Paisley and Frenchman Edouard España.


Home hero Ricardo Gouveia delighted the locals with an opening round of 66 – the same score as three-time Major Champion Padraig Harrington and England’s Oli Fisher, currently 114th in the Race to Dubai and in need of a strong showing to retain his playing privileges.