• Hong Kong Open, Round One

McIlroy makes flying start

Rory McIlroy claimed an early lead © Getty Images

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Rory McIlroy seized the clubhouse lead on the opening day of the Hong Kong Open on Thursday.

McIlroy shot a bogey-free round of 64 to end up six-under the card in blustery conditions at the Hong Kong Golf Club. The Northern Irishman started his round on the back nine, and picked up birdies at the 14th and 16th before delightful approach shots at the first and second holes set him up to surge up the leaderboard.

The 22-year-old recovered well after finding a fairway bunker on the fifth, while another birdie at the sixth saw him pull well clear of the field. McIlroy is aiming to oust Luke Donald from the top of the European Tour money list, and after taking a commanding lead early on in Hong Kong, is in a perfect position to do so.

"It was very good, a solid round of golf, I didn't make a mistake," McIlroy said. "Six birdies and no bogeys is always a nice way to start the tournament.

"I played very solid from the first hole, hit two good shots into the 10th and made par there, which was probably the toughest hole we played all day. I just gave myself a lot of chances, I think I hit 17 greens and a lot of fairways and I was able to take a few, which was nice."

McIlroy was joined at the top of the leaderboard by Alvaro Quiros and David Horsey, while Miguel Angel Jimenez is a shot further adrift following a 65.

Oliver Fisher is leading a group of players sitting four strokes behind McIlroy. Scotland's Richie Ramsay and Sweden's Peter Hanson also carded 68 in round one to wind up at two-under alongside Fisher.

Home favourite Shun Yat Jason Hak is a further shot back at one-under. The amateur recovered from two bogeys on the front nine to finish strongly with a solid one-under 69.

It was not such an enjoyable round for McIlroy's playing partner Ian Poulter, though, as the Englishman stumbled to a one-over round of 71. It was a similar story for John Daly who wobbled to an unimpressive four-over after shooting six bogeys and one double-bogey.

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