Justin Harding opened flawlessly on Thursday as he signed for a seven-under-par 65 in the first round of the HotelPlanner Tour’s Hainan Open at the Sanya Luhuitou Golf Club on Hainan Island, China.

Harding, who is ranked 42nd on the Road to Mallorca rankings and needs to finish the season strongly to make sure of a spot in the Grand Final on October 29 and to challenge for a DP World Tour card for 2027, made an eagle and five birdies to lie in a share of second.

Spain’s Joseba Torres led with a superb 10-under-par 62 with 10 birdies, while Mingrui Ma, Callum Farr and Tapio Pulkkanen shared second with Harding.

Torres, who is teeing it up in China for the first time, described the day as one where everything went his way. “Everything worked out today,” he said. “I played very good, made a few putts. “I missed one shot on the first and was in the rough, then I chipped it in so I think everything worked out.”

Deon Germishuys and Louis Albertse carded four-under-par 68s for a share of 13th, with Wilco Nienaber and Martin Vorster on three-under in a share of 28th.