Dean Burmester turned in 32 to open up a one-shot lead early on day one of the Volvo China Open at Topwin Golf & Country Club.
The big-hitting South African has had just one top 20 on the European Tour this season but has made seven of nine cuts as he seeks a second title to go with his 2017 Tshwane Open crown.
He made four birdies on the back nine on Thursday to get to four under and lead by one from in-form playing partners Alexander Björk and Matt Wallace, and China's Jin Daxing.
There was then a group of seven players at two under including defending champion Alexander Levy.
Burmester opened with a par but then made three birdies in a row and added another gain on the 15th.
Swede Björk arrived in Beijing off the back of a tie for third at last week's Trophée Hassan II and he made an eagle on the 15th and a birdie on the next in his first eight holes, while Englishman Wallace had birdies on the 11th, 12th, 15th, 17th and a bogey on the 16th.
Jin had gains on the tenth, 12th and 14th in his first five holes.
Frenchman Levy - looking to make it back-to-back European Tour wins - made gains on the tenth, 12th and 15th but a bogey on the 13th in his first seven holes.
Australian David Gleeson, Swede Marcus Kinhult, Spaniard Carlos Pigem, China's Bowen Xiao and American duo David Lipsky and Micah Lauren Shin were also two shots off the lead.
