China's Liang Wenchong shot a six-under-par 64 to take a one-shot first-round lead with South African Richard Sterne at the US$2.5 million Hong Kong Open yesterday.

The 30-year-old hit seven birdies and could have gone into the second day out on his own but finished his round with a three-putt for a bogey.

"My performance was very good today, but there are still three days to go," said the ever-cautious Liang, who won the Asian Tour Order of Merit last year.

"I'll try to give my best performance every day."

Sterne picked up four shots in his first six holes but a couple of bogeys just before halfway set him back and he needed another four birdies on the back nine to share the lead.

Frankie Minoza of the Phillipines and Chinese Taipei's Lin Wen-tang shared third after carding 65s, a shot better than Briton Oliver Wilson - the loser of a playoff against Sergio Garcia in Shanghai two weeks ago - and three others who share fifth.

Twice-major winner John Daly made a good start with a 68 on the tight Fanling course that left him in a share of 15th with Colin Montgomerie and 14 other players.

"I'm not too disappointed, being a little rusty, had not played in a month," said the 42-year-old American. "I think under par on the first round here is pretty good, I'll take it."

Daly, a former British Open and US PGA Championship winner now ranked No. 788 in the world, said he feels he is striking the ball well but is struggling for rhythm because he hasn't been able to qualify for consecutive tournaments.

He has not had a US PGA Tour card since 2006, when his two-year exemption expired from his last victory at the Buick Invitational in 2004. He made only five cuts in 17 starts on the PGA Tour this year and earned just over US$56,000.

"I need to play three or four weeks in a row to get anything out of my game. I haven't been able to really do that in two years. The exemptions didn't come in a row," Daly said.

"My drought hasn't been quite as bad as Australia and the water situation, but it's been close. You just keep fighting and keep working on it."

Daly has also had a tumultuous year off the course, going through a divorce and spending a night in jail last month after being found "extremely intoxicated and uncooperative," police said, outside a Hooters restaurant in North Carolina.

Montgomerie, the winner here in 2005, bogeyed his first hole but was pleased overall with his round.

"I got my swing back together and very safe," said the Scot. "The greens should be good tomorrow morning and (I) got a good round under my belt and look forward to starting tomorrow."

Six-time major winner Nick Faldo, making his first playing appearance after skippering the European Ryder Cup team, also started with a bogey but birdied the next three holes.

A double bogey five at the eighth and a bogeys at the 16th and 17th, however, left the Briton eight shots off the pace on 72.

(Agencies via Shanghai Daily November 21, 2008)