A game plan that worked - to play the course from the middle of the fairways - hoisted Paul McKechnie to the front as half the field had finished their opening round of the Gleneagles Scottish PGA Championship.
The 30-year-old Braid Hills pro, currently leading the region's Order of Merit and the Money List, never missed a fairway in a round of three-under 70 over the tough, windy PGA Centenary course, giving him a two-stroke lead over the unrelated Grays, Ricky and Stephen.
Said Paul "It's a course where you just can't stand up and slash at it; you've got to keep your patience, and I think I did that today."
Off to a brilliant start, Paul birdied the opening three holes, getting up and down from a greenside bunker at the long second, and holing a 20-footer at the next. His other gain came at the 320-yard 14th, courtesy of an eight-foot putt.
Stephen Gray (Hayston) is having his best-ever season, lying third in the Order of Merit. "It was just a case of steering clear of the penal rough." And Ricky, from Torrance House, gave the credit for his one-under 72 to long-time mentor, Scottish national coach, Ian Rae.
"We made a point of having a practice round on Tuesday at 7.40am, my tee-off time today, and it was absolutely smashing."
The holder, Dean Robertson, lies three shots off the lead.