Corey Conners produced a brilliant run of scoring around the turn to open up a two shot lead on day one of the WGC-HSBC Champions.
The Canadian is playing just his seventh European Tour event and has yet to record a top 25 but came to life in stunning fashion on his debut at Sheshan International Golf Club.
He picked up five shots in as many holes from the 16th to leap to five under after 12 but there was a large group of European Tour members in the chasing pack.
Local hero Li Haotong, French duo Benjamin Hebert and Victor Perez, South African Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Mexican Abraham Ancer and American Tony Finau were all at three under alongside Australian duo Matthew Millar and Adam Scott.
Conners bogeyed the 11th but regained the shot on the next before making a hat-trick of birdies from the 16th.
The outright lead, by 2 💪@coreconn #WGCHSBCChampions pic.twitter.com/DpOLtC8z61
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) October 31, 2019
His second at the par five second found the back fringe and Conners rolled home for an eagle to break out of a six man tie for the lead.
Hebert made a remarkable start as he bogeyed the first but then made back to back eagles, while Perez had gains on the second, fourth and seventh.
Li was taking big galleries with him and he made a birdie-birdie start before taking advantage of the par five 14th.
Bezuidenhout started bogey-eagle and added gains on the fourth and fifth, while Ancer and Finau both had a birdie and an eagle in their opening six holes.
There were 15 players at two under.
