China has a new golfing hero. Liang Wen Chong sent home fans into a frenzy with a sizzling 10-under-par 62 to seize a share of the first-round lead at the TCL Classic on Thursday.

　　Liang, 27, left some of the world's top players trailing in his wake as he tore up the par-72 layout at Yalong Bay Golf Club in Sanya on the southern is

land of Hainan.

　　Current European No.1 David Howell, defending champion Paul Casey and rising English star Nick Dougherty all figured on the leaderboard but found the Chinese player's pace too hot to handle.

　　Liang fired four birdies on the front nine and six more coming home - including four straight from the 14th - to equal the course record set earlier in the day by American Edward Loar.

　　The pair lead by one shot from a trio of players - Australian Andrew Buckle, Sweden's Joakim Haeggman and Warren Abery of South Africa - in the tournament which is co-sanctioned by the European and Asian Tours.

　　Liang said having his elder brother, Liang Wen Jiang, as his caddy had been an important factor. "I would like to thank my brother," he said.

　　"We practice together and he helped me a lot on the greens, especially reading the putts. I feel very comfortable with my brother on the bag.

　　"I realised I had a chance at going really low when I was playing the 14th and then I had those four birdies in a row. This was the first time I thought I could have a really low score and started telling myself to put the ball in the right position to attack the flag."

　　Liang maintained his momentum by draining a monster 75-foot putt - "one of the biggest I've ever holed" - for a birdie on the 15th.

　　He said playing in the same flight as Dougherty - who shot six-under 66 - had been a huge help.

　　"I feel very honoured to play with such a world-class player as Nick Dougherty and he inspired me as we went around," said Liang.

　　"When he double-bogeyed the fifth he continued to play aggressively. His positive attitude taught me a lot.

　　"It is a very precious experience for Chinese players to play with such good golfers - it is something I will never forget."

　　Liang, who has yet to win on the Asian Tour, has a history of doing well at the TCL Classic - he scored his first-ever hole-in-one at the inaugural tournament in 2002 when he finished third. "I like this tournament," he added.

　　Loar, the only left-hander on the Asian Tour, was delighted with his opening effort in the TCL Classic, which is promoted by Parallel Media Asia. "It's a great way to start the week," he said.

　　"When you come out here, especially on a day like today, you know you have to make birdies and keep making them. There is quite a bit of room to hit it and the greens are perfect. You get yourself in the mindset of 'let's get going' and I got going."

　　He admitted that, at one point, he was thinking of shooting 60 or lower.

　　"When I got to nine-under after 14 holes it popped into my head because I was thinking how many holes I had left. But I parred the next and then you need something crazy to happen."

　　Abery revealed a new putter helped him to his 63. "I picked it up yesterday and one-putted the first seven greens," said the South African.

　　"I got off to a dream start and was six-under for the first seven holes. It was the type of start I wanted.

　　"I arrived here this week and the greens are similar to back home in South Africa, grainy greens, and I just saw a putter on one of the manufacturer's stands at the putting green and I really liked it. It's my new baby."

　　Howell fired an impressive eight-under 64 in his afternoon round and said he had been motivated by the morning's low scores.

　　"It puts more pressure on you when you see 10-under on the board - you know if you shoot a 72 you are almost out of the game straight away," said the English star.

　　"That's why I was pleased to get off to a fast start."

　　Casey, meanwhile, opened with a seven-under 65 to be three shots off the pace.

　　ENDS