Thorbjørn Olesen set the early pace as the World Golf Championships - HSBC Champions got under way in Shanghai on Thursday.
A star-studded field had assembled at Sheshan International Golf Club as the second event of The Final Series presented a chance to pick up vital points in The Race to Dubai.
Danny Willett is currently second in the standings and he was a shot off the early lead after playing his first nine holes in 32 but that was not enough to keep pace with Olesen.
The Dane had not been having the best of seasons until his win at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship but birdied five of the first six holes to move ahead on a congested early leaderboard.
Willett had started on the tenth and birdied his opening hole before making further gains on the 14th, 16th and 18th to get to four under.
Australian duo Andrew Dodt and Steven Bowditch were also a shot behind the leader alongside American Kevin Kisner and local favourite Xinjun Zhang.
Zhang, who had his best European Tour finish here in 2011, had set the very early pace with a run of four birdies from the second before making a birdie and a bogey around the turn.
Race to Dubai leader Rory McIlroy was two under after birdies on the tenth and 14th with World Number Two Jordan Spieth a shot further back through eight holes.
