Martin Kaymer equalled the lowest round of the European Tour season with a spectacular 11-under-par 61 at Vilamoura today.

The German, already with a second and third-place finish in his first full season, finished with five successive birdies to take an early three-stroke lead at the Portugal Masters.

Despite being only 22, however, it was not the lowest round of Kaymer's career. Last year he had a 13-under-par 59 on one of Europe's mini-tours. "I've been waiting for this day for a couple of weeks," Kaymer said. "My putting has been so-so, but today every putt went in."

After turning in 32, Kaymer roared home in just 29 strokes - finishing just one outside the all-time Tour record. Daniel Vancsik, of Argentina, who led in Madrid last week before slipping to third on the last day, was in second place after a 64 - while Retief Goosen, of South Africa, shared third place with Gregory Bourdy, of France, on seven under, and still had two holes to play.

Lee Westwood, who had a 61 in Cologne last month, was only two shots further back playing the last. But Justin Rose's hopes of the top-two finish to take over the Order of Merit lead from Ernie Els were not looking good at only two under with three to play. Rose was happy to be able to play, but not so happy at wasting the perfect birdie-birdie start.

The 27-year-old suffered a recurrence of back trouble last weekend. On teeing off at 9am, all seemed well when he sank a 14-foot putt on the 10th green and then pitched to within four feet at the next. But Rose hooked into the lake with his drive down the long 12th, only just made it over the water short of the green with his fourth stroke and walked off with a double-bogey seven. Rose then had eight pars in a row before picking up more shots on the third and sixth.

Rory McIlroy, the 18-year-old from Northern Ireland who has secured a European Tour card for next season by finishing third and fourth in his second and third professional starts, was among the later starters - as were Darren Clarke and Alfred Dunhill Links winner Nick Dougherty.