Justin Rose lurks as Lu Wei-chih and Andrea Pavan take UBS Hong Kong Open first-round lead

There was a welcome return to form for Lu Wei-chih and Andrea Pavan as they shared the lead after the first round of the US$2 million UBS Hong Kong Open but much of the fans’ focus was turned to the stars who ended the day lurking with intent.

While Taiwan’s Lu and Italian Pavan signed for six-under-par 64s to top the leaderboard, world number seven Justin Rose ended the round tied in second place with India’s Jeev Milkha Singh and rising Taiwanese talent Pan Cheng-tsung on five-under after a 65, while 2010 US Open winner Graeme McDowell was among six players on four-under.

And world number eight Dustin Johnson couldn’t buy a putt but seemed to take it all in his loping, laconic stride on his way to a one-under 69.

“I hit a lot of good putts that just didn’t go in the hole, breaking a different way. But I was OK with it and, hopefully, they go in tomorrow,” he shrugged afterwards.

It was a day full of emotion for the 36-year-old Lu, who had bogey blimps on the par-five third and the par-four 16th to rub some of the sheen from his eight birdies for the round.

Lu had surgery for a brain tumour in 2012 and he revealed he is only just now getting his game – and his general well being – back together.

“At the start today I was just trying to get into the flow,” said Lu. “But after that I started playing really well, and I was very comfortable.”