Brown joins McIlroy at top of leaderboard

Rory McIlroy continued to hold onto the clubhouse lead at the UBS Hong Kong Open today but New Zealand’s Mark Brown was making a solid bid to usurp him as the opening round headed towards a close.

McIlroy, bidding for a first win on the European Tour in over 18 months, teed off in the morning and made the most of near perfect conditions at Hong Kong Golf Club by collecting eight birdies against just one bogey to finish with a seven under 63 and claim a one-stroke lead over England’s Simon Dyson.

However, Brown was in scintillating form as soon as he took to the course later in the day as he fired off five birdies without dropping a shot on his outward nine.

He then continued his impressive run coming home with two more birdies to move alongside McIlroy on seven under with six holes remaining.

Dyson – who won the tournament 10 years ago – shot a 64 in a round that included a hole-in-one on the par-three, 144 yard 12th.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better start,” said the Yorkshireman. “The course is excellent and the weather even better.”

Ireland’s Graeme McDowell carded a five under 65 to ensure he is amongst the early pacesetters in a share of third place along with Irishman Damien McGrane and South Korea’s Nam Young.

Defending champion Gregory Bourdy was four under through 16 while Europe’s Ryder Cup winning captain Colin Montgomerie was back on one under with three holes left to play.