Antalya, Turkey (SportsNetwork.com) - Miguel Angel Jimenez fired a 9-under 63 on Thursday at the Turkish Airlines Open and he grabbed a 1-shot lead over Ian Poulter.
Jimenez won twice earlier this season on the European Tour, raising his career total to 21 European Tour victories. He also won in his first start on the Champions Tour in the United States.
Poulter, who hasn't won since late in the 2012 season, carded a 8-under 64 and is alone in second place at The Montgomerie Maxx Royal.
Wade Ormsby, Tyrrell Hatton and Brendon de Jonge share third place at minus-7. Ormsby closed his round with six consecutive birdies from the 13th. He carded eight birdies and a bogey over his final nine holes.
Stephen Gallacher, who repeated as Dubai Desert Classic champion early in the season, carded a 5-under 67. He was joined in seventh place by Hennie Otto, Edoardo Molinari, Marc Warren, Oliver Fisher, Branden Grace, Danny Willett, Romain Wattel and Andy Sullivan.
This is the penultimate event in the Race to Dubai. The top 60 in that race qualify for next week's season finale. Rory McIlroy leads that race, but Jamie Donaldson, Sergio Garcia and Marcel Siem could pass him with wins at this event and at next week's season-ending, DP World Tour Championship, Dubai.
Of the three, Siem is closest to the lead. He opened with a 2-under 70, while Donaldson managed an even-par 72 and Garcia struggled to a 3-over 75.
Jimenez flew out of the gate as he holed a wedge shot for eagle on the 10th, his first hole. After a pair of pars, he soared up the leaderboard.
The Spaniard birdied the par-5 13th and followed with birdies on each of the next three holes to move to 6-under par through seven holes. He parred the next two holes to remain there.
Around the turn, Jimenez got up and down for birdie at the par-5 first to move into a share of the lead. He birdied the next par-5, the fourth, to grab the lead by himself. Jimenez made it two in a row as he also birdied the par-3 fifth. He closed his round with four consecutive pars.
"Nine-under par on this course ... it's a good start. It's nice making a low score," Jimenez said. "It's special because I've been struggling a little bit the last few months and you shoot under par, you feel good. Everything is getting close. I started to roll the ball better on the green and everything starts to go close and that helps."
Poulter played in the group behind Jimenez and he opened with birdies at 10 and 11. Poulter tripped to a bogey on the par-4 12th, but bounced back with an eagle on the 13th.
The Englishman birdied the 15th to move to minus-4. After a pair of pars, Poulter converted back-to-back birdies at the 18th and first.
Poulter made it three in a row with a birdie at the second. He climbed within one of the lead as he birdied the fourth. Poulter parred the final five holes to end one back.
"It's always nice to get off to a decent start. I played well here last year," said Poulter, who tied for fifth in 2013. "I played the par-5s exceptionally well, which I'm very happy about. I was 6-under par for the five par-5s, which is key to this golf course."
NOTES: Jimenez struggled at this event last year as he carded three 73s and a 71 en route to tying for 70th ... Course designer Colin Montgomerie, who is playing in his 600th career European Tour event, struggled to a 4-over 76 ... Defending champion Victor Dubuisson faltered to a 5-over 77.
