Peter Uihlein birdied the last three holes of his opening round and Byeong Hun An had a hole-in-one, but it was home favourite Huang Wen-yi leading the way at the Shenzhen International.
China’s Huang had eight birdies and two bogeys in his six under par 66 at Genzon Golf Club to lead An and Uihlein by one midway through the opening day.
Former Madeira Islands Open and Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year Uihlein was only level par at the turn, but the American birdied the tenth and 14th before a fine finish in which he holed from six feet at the 16th, almost holed out from a bunker on the 17th for eagle and rolled in a 15 footer at the last.
Korean An aced the short eighth, his iron shot pitching two feet short and rolling into the cup, as the Challenge Tour graduate matched Uihlein’s five under par 67.
“Nice three in a row and four of the last five,” Uihlein said of his finish. “I'm definitely pleased.
“I played Thailand, and had to withdraw with food poisoning, then played one in Puerto Rico, and then I had a wrist injury and had to take some time off.
“Then I switched coaches, so I’ve had a strange six weeks or so.
“I feel like I did a lot of things really, really well and I felt like I did some of my old habits and hit a couple squirrelers, but I'm pleased with five under, for sure.”
An has made every cut so far in an impressive rookie campaign, and also had four birdies and a bogey as he joined Uihlein in second, with Darren Fichardt and Kiradech Aphibarnrat also five under out on the course.
France’s Romain Wattel, South Africa’s Garth Mulroy and English pair Ross Fisher and Anthony Wall were all on three under, while double Masters Tournament winner Bubba Watson was a shot further back thanks largely to a hat-trick of gains from the fifth.
