The little-known Indian, ranked 214th on last season's European Order of Merit, took a one-shot lead after his six-under 63.

Faldo and Olazabal, meanwhile, stuttered to rounds of 68 and 69 respectively.

Thursday's headlines, though, belonged to 13-year-old Taiwanese golfer Lo Shih-Kai.

The teenager's start in the tournament broke European Tour history, as he became the youngest ever player in a Tour event.

Lo carded a round of 73 to leave him some way off the pace.

Johl's round, in contrast, sparked into life with an eagle on the par-five ninth. He followed that with four birdies in five holes before a bogey on the penultimate hole took some of the gloss off his round.

He resumes play on Friday a shot ahead of Mexico's Pablo del Olmo, Zimbabwean Tony Johnstone, Swede Henrik Nystrom and Stephen Dodd of Wales.

Disease-ridden greens had forced the course to be shorted and, despite the reduced distance, the cool, damp conditions caused many of the predicted leaders to struggle.

Faldo, who started on the 10th, birdied the 12th but dropped back with bogeys at the 15th and 16th. His day was rescued with birdies on the final two holes.

"There's plenty of sand out there - on the greens," he said. "It's a really nice setting but I just think it should be brought up to speed.

"I'd hate to see what the greens are going to look like for some of the late starters - they should have a guy rolling each green after every group."

Olazabal started in style, with three birdies on his opening four holes, but his form escaped him with a quartet of bogeys.