A birdie-birdie finish from Alvaro Quiros earned him a share of the Trophee Hassan II lead with Bradley Dredge after the first round in Rabat on Thursday.
Dredge looked set to head into Friday with a one-shot advantage over the rest of the field, but Quiros' late surge saw him card a five-under 67 and earn a place at the top of the leaderboard after the first 18 holes of a European Tour event for the first time since 2014.
Welshman Dredge posted five birdies on his back nine, with a second bogey at the par-four fourth stopping him from moving further clear.
It was Quiros that pushed on from a cluster of players near the summit, but the Spaniard felt he deserved even more given the standard of his play.
"The score is good but I will say that the level that I displayed today from tee to green, it's been unbelievable," he told the European Tour website.
"I know that five under is a very good score but it looks like it's a little bit short for the game that I have displayed today."
Erik van Rooyen is part of a four-way share for third on four under, while Ashun Wu and Lee Slattery are in a group of five one shot further back.
Thomas Pieters, the highest ranked player in the field at 52nd in the world, carded a disappointing two-over 74.
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