Scotland's Marc Warren and Soren Kjeldsen of Denmark are joint third only two back.

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Molinari's superb four-under 68 in testing conditions has left the Italian Ryder Cup star one shot clear of South Africa's George Coetzee, Scotland's Marc Warren, Mark Foster of England and Spaniard Alejandro Canizares.

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Also teeing off will be Aberdeen's Richie Ramsay, the only Scot to have won on the European Tour this season, and compatriots Andrew Coltart, Alastair Forsyth, Paul Lawrie, Gary Orr and Marc Warren.

BBC: Martin Laird relishing returning home for Scottish Open