Terry Pilkadaris used all his experience to set the first round pace on the Challenge Tour while Ryan Fox is just one shot back in his debut on the Tour.

Pilkadaris
and Belgian Hughes Joannes fired rounds of 5-under 66 to lead the Najeti Open presented
by Neuflize OBC by one stroke from New Zealander Ryan Fox, Finland’s Roope
Kakko and Italian Nicolo Ravano. 

Pilkadaris
birdied the fifth and ninth holes on his front nine at Aa Saint-Omer Golf Club,
in northern France, before reeling off a hat-trick of birdies from the 12th.

The
41-year-old made his only bogey of the day on the 15th hole, but regained a
shot on the 17th to sign for his joint lowest round of the season. 

Pilkadaris
is playing in the tournament for the sixth time, with a share of 19th place
last year his best finish to date, and he feels his knowledge of the tricky at
Aa Saint-Omer GC could prove beneficial this week. 

"On this
golf course, it’s a real advantage to know the place," he said.

"Most of
the players near the top of the leaderboard are experienced guys; they know how
to draw the ball."

"I played a
practice round with Ryan Fox; it’s his first visit here. I helped him to
discover the course and to respect it, where to hit," added Pilkadaris who regularly
plays with Fox on the PGA Tour of Australasia.

"And I know
Roope likes this place very much, he likes the challenge. So it’s not a
surprise to see him in with a good score."

Fox, renowned
for his ability to fire low scores, was 1-over par after five holes, but
swiftly reeled off four successive birdies from the sixth before adding another
at the 16th to sign for a round of 67.