NICOLAS COLSAERTS LEADS the Italian Open towards the close of the opening round in Milan, in was a record-equalling round that put him top of the leaderboard.
The 2012 Ryder Cup winner had a bogey-free round of 63, but it will go down in the record books for the eight birdies in a row he hit during his round.
Teeing off on the 10th hole, Colsaerts had a level par opening four holes, before hitting birdies at 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 1, 2, and 3.
He came within a couple of inches of taking the record outright, missing this putt from around 20 feet for what would have been a ninth in a row.
Colsaerts benefited from the tournament using preferred lies, after hitting just six of 14 fairways in the whole round.
A final birdie arrived for him on the 8th hole, and he finished with a par for a 63, and a scorecard that looked like this.
His eight birdies in a row made him the 11th player to do so on the tour, the first of which was Seve Ballesteros at this same tournament 30 years ago exactly.
