Qualifying school graduate Richard McEvoy today made an incredible start to the European Tour season, shooting an eight under par 62 to storm into the lead at the Omega Hong Kong Open.
The 24-year-old, who won the six-round qualifying school last month, carded nine birdies in total to equal the course record set by Nick Faldo in 1990.
On a day where a number of players faltered in the closing stages of their rounds - KJ Choi and Darren Clarke to name but two - McEvoy kept his composure magnificently and finished his memorable day with a 15-foot putt to birdie the last.
On the whole it was a good day for the qualifying school graduates, with Scotland's Steven O'Hara, McEvoy's Walker Cup team-mate from 2001, finishing on four under, with the more experienced duo of England's Barry Lane and Irishman Padraig Harrington in the pack one shot further back.
But for the likes of Clarke and Faldo, today was a frustration. The Ulsterman was arguably the form player heading into the tournament after his fourth place at the Nedbank Challenge last week and was beginning to look dangerous as he moved smoothly onto four under par after 10 holes.
But all that momentum unravelled on the closing holes. Into the trees off the tee on 13, Clarke saved par but bogeys on the 12th and 14th dropped him back to finish two under, level with, amongst others, former champions Jose Maria Olazabal (2001) and Fredrik Jacobson (2002).