Australian Rhein Gibson shares the first round lead at the China Masters with American Daniel Woltman, after they both fired four-under-par 67s.
A group of four were one stroke back at Nanshan International golf club including another Australian Adam Stephens and New Zealander Nick Gillespie, who birdied four of the first five holes but then hit a double-bogey at the sixth.
Gibson who has had some amazing experiences this year was somewhat surprised to be in such good form, having spent five weeks away from tournament golf.
"I have spent the last five weeks at home with the wife so it was a bit hard to get going but I made a solid start," said Gibson, 28, who set a world record with a 16-under-par 55 in 2012.
He played the third round of this year's Open championship with Tiger Woods and Jordan Spieth after making the cut, and added: "That experience has really helped my confidence."
Fellow Australians Jason Scrivener and Scott Laycock are a further shot back at two under.
China's Guan Tianlang, the 15-year-old amateur who made the cut in last year's US Masters, was one over after carding a 72.
Leading scores after round 1:
67 - Rhein Gibson (AUS), Daniel Woltman (USA).
68 - Nick Gillespie (NZL), Zhou Guowu (CHN), Adam Stephens (AUS), Li Haotong (CHN).
69 - Park Chan-Hee (KOR), Xie Zhi (CHN), Michael Long (NZL), Lee Jun Seok (AUS), Hu Mu (CHN), Park Deuk-Hee (KOR), Jason Scrivener (AUS), Scott Laycock (AUS), Gareth Paddison (NZL).
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