Graeme McDowell produced a sensational outward nine to hold a two shot lead after the first round of the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai.
McDowell played his first 12 holes in seven under par at Sheshan International but dropped two shots in the last six to card an opening five under par 67 in the second event of The Race to Dubai Final Series.
Starting from the tenth, the Ryder Cup star birdied his opening hole and picked up further shots on the 13th, 14th, 16th and 17th to race to the turn in 31, before birdies at the second and third took him well clear of a star-studded field featuring 40 of the Official World Golf Ranking's top 50.
However, the former US Open champion dropped his first shot of the day on the fourth and paid the price for missing his only fairway of the round on the 603 yard eighth hole.
“Obviously the course played fairly difficult today,” said McDowell. “The wind direction had switched completely from practice, some of the game plan had switched a little bit and some of the holes were playing pretty long.
“A big key to this golf course is driving the ball well and I drove it very well today. I think I missed only one fairway, which is very important.
“The greens are in fantastic shape and I actually putted very well.
“Seven under par through 12 holes was a beautiful start, and although I dropped a couple coming in, all in all I’m very, very pleased with five under par on what I thought was a reasonably tricky day.
“This is as tough off the tee as I think I've ever seen this golf course.
“Obviously it was very low scoring here last year. The rough was fairly thick last year, but it played so much softer and effectively, the fairways played wider and the greens were so much more receptive.
“This year it’s very tricky if you miss fairways. The rough is very penal and very tricky if you miss the greens. The run off areas are pretty severe here and the rough is pretty severe around the greens.
“It’s a much, much trickier test this year, and I think this golf course has really gone from strength to strength. Every year we've come back, it's quietly maybe one of the best golf courses we play in the WGC rotation, if not the best.”
Martin Kaymer's 69 was matched by England's Tommy Fleetwood to ensure the pair share second place with South African Tim Clark and American trio Rickie Fowler, Chris Kirk and Brandt Snedeker. It continued US Open Champion Kaymer's impressive record at the venue.
"It's a good start and I really enjoy playing here anyway," said Kaymer, who shot a final round of 63 on his way to victory in 2011 and also holds the course record of 62.
"Even when I was at level par today I just kept telling myself, you enjoy the golf course so much, and you will have plenty of birdie chances, so you just need to wait. Fortunately today on the back nine, it turned out well."
Lee Westwood and last year's runner-up Ian Poulter were among an 11-strong group on two under par which included World Number Two Adam Scott, Louis Oosthuizen and Henrik Stenson.
