(CNN) -- England's Nick Dougherty could salvage a disastrous season, as he led the European Masters after the first round but has major winners Rory McIlroy and Martin Kaymer as his nearest challengers at Crans-sur-Sierre.
Dougherty, rated one of the most promising golfers on the European Tour, has missed 21 cuts in a row to slip to 791st in the world rankings but rediscovered his form Thursday with an eight-under 63 in the Swiss Alps.
U.S. Open champion McIlroy and 2010 PGA Champion Kaymer were two shots back after 65s in the morning rounds, sharing second with England's Gary Boyd and Korean Lee Sung.
In a star-studded line-up, world number two and his stablemate and British Open champion Darren Clarke were tied for eighth after 67s.
In an unusual twist, the 29-year-old Dougherty was interviewed by his golf presenter wife Diane after his round and admitted he had not been easy to live with during his unexpected slump.
"It's been tough coming home and having to deal with constant disappointment and I'm really, really proud of how I played.
"It feels great, obviously. I've not had a lot to be happy about, and you've had to take the brunt of it and put up with me," he added on Sky Sports.
Kaymer and McIlroy had set the morning pace with six under 65s, while Lee Westwood was set to join them until two late bogeys.
McIlroy is playing his first tournament since he injured himself hitting a tree root at this year's U.S. PGA Championship.
"My arm's nearly back to 100 per cent," he told the official European Tour website.
"I had a good bit of treatment on it and rested it."
Kaymer, who has slipped back to fifth in the rankings after briefly topping them, finished with back-to-back birdies to reinforce his challenge.
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