Sergio Garcia equalled his lowest round on The European Tour this season to take a one shot lead on the first day of the BMW Masters in Shanghai.
The Spaniard recorded nine birdies in a 64 which was good enough to get him to eight under and give him a slender lead over Byeong-hun An and Victor Dubuisson.
With Race to Dubai leader Rory McIlroy not playing at Lake Malaren Golf Club, this week presents an opportunity for the chasing pack to stake their claim to be Europe's number one and Justin Rose made the most progress on Thursday with a 67.
Second-placed Danny Willett endured a frustrating day as he carded a level par 72 with playing partners Shane Lowry and Louis Oosthuizen both going round in 70.
The day belonged to Garcia, though, who equalled his score in the final round of the Omega European Masters.
The 35 year old began on the tenth and was four under after five holes thanks to gains on his opener, the 12th, 13th and 14th. A bogey was to come on the 17th but a run of five birdies in seven holes from the first ensured he would hold the first round lead.
"It was nice," he said. "I obviously played nicely. Conditions were quite good, not much wind. A little bit of a drizzle but other than that it was good.
"The course is nice, I drove the ball very well and that gave me a lot of opportunities to hit some good iron shots. It was a nice round.
"I had a couple of nice birdies - three birdies in the first four on my front nine and then another three or four birdies on the first four or five on the back nine.
“I’m feeling a bit more comfortable, a bit better. I had a couple of rounds last week where I felt like I played better than I did in Malaysia.
Hopefully I keep improving as the week goes on, and we'll be out there on Sunday having a chance - Sergio Garcia
Dubuisson claimed his second Turkish Airlines Open two weeks ago with three birdies in his last four holes and he carried that form into this week with three straight gains from the 11th.
Further birdies followed on the 15th, 18th and second and the Frenchman was threatening Garcia's lead but he recorded six pars before a closing birdie left him a shot behind.
An is in a battle with Anirban Lahiri and Matthew Fitzpatrick for the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year award and he did his chances no harm with a blemish-free opening round.
The BMW PGA Championship winner was playing alongside Dubuisson and he picked up shots on the tenth, 13th and 15th before a run of three birdies from the first catapulted him up the leaderboard.
Another birdie then followed on the seventh for the young Korean who came into the week tenth in The Race to Dubai.
A birdie-birdie finish helped get Ross Fisher to six under and he held a share of fourth place alongside Lucas Bjerregaard.
The Englishman was in contention during the closing stages of last week's World Golf Championships - HSBC Champions before finishing in a tie for third and lost here in a play-off last year to Marcel Siem.
He too began on the tenth and started with a birdie before picking up further shots on the 13th, 14th and 18th. Seven pars followed before a strong finish moved him to within two of the lead.
Bjerregaard has four top tens in his last seven starts and he continued his fine form with six birdies in a bogey-free effort.
Paul Casey had set the early pace with Garcia as he birdied the tenth and 11th before holing his second shot at the 14th from 149 yards for a spectacular eagle. But he would only pick up one more shot to sign for a 67 alongside Rose and Thongchai Jaidee.
Jaidee had been seven under with the help of an eagle on the 13th before he dropped two shots in his last four holes while Rose birdied four of his last seven.
There was then a large group at four under with 17 players within four shots of the lead.
Fitzpatrick signed for a 68 along with countrymen Ian Poulter and Eddie Pepperell while local duo Zecheng Dou and Xinjun Zhang were also four under alongside Francesco Molinari, Richie Ramsay, Henrik Stenson and Jaco Van Zyl.
Two-time Major winner Martin Kaymer was then among those at three under, one clear of Lowry and Oosthuizen and two ahead of Bernd Wiesberger and Branden Grace.
