China's Liang Wenchong and South African Richard Sterne hit six-under par 64s to upstage some of the greats of European golf in the first round of the UBS Hong Kong Open on Thursday.

Liang and Sterne shared 15 birdies at the par-70 Fanling course to lead the 2.5 million dollar tournament by a shot from Frankie Minoza of the Philippines and Taiwan's Lin Wen-tang.

Troubled Californian John 'Wild Thing' Daly was the best among six Major winners in the field as he shook off serious injury and personal problems for two-under 68, level with eight-time European merit champion Colin Montgomerie.

China's Liang, who enjoyed vocal home support, raised hopes of a first Asian winner in 10 years here.

"I will try to be patient. There are another three days ahead, so I'll just try my best every day," Liang said.

"Last week we saw an Asian player win the trophy in Singapore so there could be another possibility for an Asian player to win here," he said, referring to the victory of India's Jeev Milkha Singh at the Singapore Open.

Fellow leader Sterne, 27, rattled eight birdies interrupted by two bogeys at the turn on his first ever round at the colonial-era Fanling course after missing Tuesday's practice and Wednesday's pro-am.

"I've done it a few times before so I'm not really too fazed about it," he said. "It went pretty well. Sometimes it helps, you don't know where all of the trouble is. I got a pretty good start and just kept going."

England's Oliver Wilson, runner-up for the eighth time at this month's HSBC Champions, raised hopes of a first European Tour win with four-under 66 for joint fifth.

"I think I know how to win on this course," he said. "That might sound strange but it's more of a tactical battle than anything out there."

Meanwhile Scotland's Montgomerie was ebullient after his 68 as he bids to break back into the top 50 after slipping to world number 118.

"Anything in the top 20 on the first day and we're doing well," he said. "I'm looking forward to coming out tomorrow morning and getting a good round under my belt."

Daly was pleased just be back playing after a dizzying rankings plunge to 788, injury problems and the latest lurid headlines when a drinking spree last month ended in a night in jail.

"I just want to play. Whatever happens, happens but it's just nice to play," said the colourful Californian.

Bernhard Langer and Jose Maria Olazabal, winners here in 1991 and 2001, both shot 69 to lie alongside fellow Major champion Paul Lawrie of Scotland.

Defending champion Miguel Angel Jimenez and New Zealand's Michael Campbell were one over par while six-time Major winner Nick Faldo was on two-over 72.

England's Simon Griffiths walked off with a 24,000-dollar solid gold bar for his hole-in-one on the par-three 12th, while New Zealand's Danny Lee, the world's top amateur, withdrew at the last minute with chickenpox.

Hong Kong is the second stop on the European Tour's all-new Race to Dubai, where the top 60 money-earners are invited to next November's 10 million dollar Dubai World Championship.

The 15 players who have accumulated the most winnings after the season finale also share a 10 million dollar purse. The cash injection has attracted interest from top US players such as Phil Mickelson and Anthony Kim.

The Hong Kong Open, one of Asia's most prestigious events, is celebrating its 50th year with other previous winners including Greg Norman, Tom Watson, Ian Woosnam and Padraig Harrington.

AFP