Published Thursday, 01 December 2011
McIlroy picked up six birdies and did not drop a shot to head Paul Lawrie and Oliver Fisher by three strokes, on a day where scoring was proving difficult at the Hong Kong Golf Club.
"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."
Starting on the 10th, McIlroy picked up birdies at the 14th and 16th courtesy of holing mid-range putts to reach the turn in 33 before a sand wedge to inside three feet at the first brought another.
The 22-year-old moved to four under at the next, and although his drive from the fifth tee found the bunker, a superb recovery allowed him to knock in a short putt for his fifth birdie of the day before adding his sixth at the next.