Huang leads at Shenzen International

European Tour

Local favourite Huang Wen-yi set the early pace at the Shenzhen International with an opening round 66 at the Genzon Golf Club on Thursday.

In an eventful first day, Peter Uihlein birdied his last three holes while the crowd was also treated to a spectacular hole-in-one by Byeong Hun An.

Huang had eight birdies and two bogeys in his six under start to finish one clear of An, Uihlein, Felipe Aguilar and Kiradech Aphibarnrat.

Challenge Tour graduate An of Korea aced the short eighth as his iron shot pitched two feet short of the cup before trickling in.

In an impressive finish Madeira Islands Open and Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year Uihlein was only level par at the turn, but the American birdied the tenth and 14th before a fine finish in which he holed from six feet at the 16th, almost holed out from a bunker on the 17th for eagle and rolled in a 15 footer at the last.

A satisfied Uihlein noted that he was relieved to be playing after a few recent setbacks.

“I played Thailand, and had to withdraw with food poisoning, then played one in Puerto Rico, and then I had a wrist injury and had to take some time off,” he told the European Tour’s official website.

“Then I switched coaches, so I’ve had a strange six weeks or so.

“I feel like I did a lot of things really, really well and I felt like I did some of my old habits and hit a couple squirrelers, but I’m pleased with five under, for sure.”

One his own in sixth place at four under par is South Africa’s Darren Fichardt.

Fichardt’s countryman, Garth Mulroy, is another shot back along with English pair Ross Fisher and Anthony with France’s Romain Wattel completing the group at three under.

Double Masters Tournament winner Bubba Watson was a shot further back thanks largely to a hat-trick of gains from the fifth.

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