Li Haotong delighted the home crowds as he opened up two shot lead on day one of the WGC-HSBC Champions.
The Chinese announced himself to the world with a top ten at Sheshan International Golf Club in 2015 and since then has gone on to claim two European Tour wins.
He played his first 12 holes in seven under par on Thursday to lead the way from Canadian Corey Conners, who carded a 67.
Defending champion Xander Schauffele, Mexican Abraham Ancer, South African Christiaan Bezuidenhout, South Korean Sungjae Im and Australian Adam Scott were also at five under still out on course.
Conners bogeyed the 11th but regained the shot on the next before making a hat-trick of birdies from the 16th.
His second at the par five second found the back fringe and Conners rolled home for a eagle to break out of a six man tie for the lead.
Li made a birdie-birdie start with the help of an excellent approach to the second and he sandwiched a 15 foot putt on the 17th with two putt birdies on the par five 14th and 18th.
Conners broke out of a five way tie from ten feet on the eighth but he bogeyed his final hole and left the door open for Li.
The 24-year-old had bogeyed the first but he left himself just seven feet for an eagle on the second and then a smart approach to the next had him two ahead.
Schauffele had bogeyed the tenth but from that point his putter was red hot and he birdied the 11th and 18th either side of four in a row from the 13th in his first ten holes.
Playing partners Ancer and Bezuidenhout were both also five under through ten, while Scott was bogey free for his first 14 holes.
Im had two holes to play having made an eagle, a bogey and four birdies.
Tony Finau, Matthew Fitzpatrick and Victor Perez were all four under.
