The Scottish contingent experienced an eventful opening day in the Omega Dubai Desert Classic over the Emirates course.
Scott Jamieson recorded his second-lowest European Tour score, Stephen Gallacher won a Mercedes-Benz for a hole-in-one, Colin Montgomerie was disrupted by a hot air balloon and last week's winner, Paul Lawrie, ended his round with a double-bogey.
As Spain's Rafael Cabrero-Bello romped to the top with a sparkling nine-under 63, Jamieson showed a welcome return to form with a tidy seven-under 65 which left him tied for second place and one stroke ahead of Martin Kaymer and former champion Rory McIlroy.
Jamieson's round was his lowest since a final-day 64 earned him a share of third in last year's BMW International Open in Munich. The 28-year-old, who had five top-six finishes during his rookie season in 2011, went off the boil in the latter part of a hectic campaign and made just one of his last nine cuts.
"I just played too much last season and lost a little bit of my hunger as I was out on the tour every week," he said, after a round highlighted by an eagle at the 12th. "I think I've learned my lesson and I've worked out a different schedule."
Gallacher, meanwhile, illuminated his three-under 69 with an ace on the 185-yard 15th. It was the former Dunhill Links champion's ninth hole-in-one and his second on the European Tour.
Gallacher's first on the main circuit also arrived on the Emirates course during the 2005 Dubai Desert Classic, but all the Scot was awarded then was the honour on the next tee.
He was handed the keys to a new Mercedes this time. "I only just bought my wife a new car, so I don't know what I'm going to do with the Mercedes," he said. Richie Ramsay joined Gallacher on the three-under mark while David Drysdale opened with a 70. Lawrie, the winner of the Qatar Masters last Sunday, was making good progress but his day soured when he found water on the ninth, his 18th, and racked up a double-bogey 6.
Montgomerie, playing in the company of American duo John Daly and Fred Couples, also posted a 71 but was halted for a spell on the 18th when a hot air balloon began to take off behind the last green.
"Well, that has to be one of the strangest things I've seen on a golf course," said Montgomerie, who has always been one for noticing distractions of various shapes and sizes. At the head of affairs, Cabrera-Bello packed nine birdies into his first 11 holes and a first 59 on the tour looked a distinct possibility until he eased up a little and parred in.
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