Xu Qin and Zhou Jun both shot three-under-par to share the first-round lead in the Omega Championship in Beijing.

Xu Qin, the 27-year-old Ian Poulter ‘dress-alike’, and in-form Zhou Jun both shot three-under-par 69 to share the first-round lead in the US$146,000 Omega Championship, the Omega China Tour’s season-ending event at the Beijing Longxi Hotspring Golf Club.

Hong Kong-based Nick Redfern and Andy Zhou Xunshu, who both had their wives caddying for them, each carded 70 to lie joint-third with Wu Ligui.

Chinese Taipei star Hsu Mong-nan, Hong Kong’s Wong Woon-man and Chen Xiaoma, last year’s Most Improved Player, shot 71 to share sixth place.

Tour heavyweights Liao Guiming, the current Omega Order of Merit leader, Li Chao, the two-time money-list winner, and Chinese Taipei’s Chan Yih-shin were among a large group on 72.

Xu, who proudly admits that he models his clothes and hairstyle on Poulter, enjoyed a bogey-free round, picking up three birdies on the second nine to top the leaderboard on the Omega China Tour for the first time.

“If I dress well, I feel good. Recently I’ve been paying even more attention to Ian Poulter. I always check what he’s wearing, from his trousers to his shirts. My hair is also high like his,” said the Ningbo-based Xu, who was disqualified from the season-opener in Guangzhou after accidentally missing his tee-time.

“Today, I drove well and my irons were good, especially on the second nine. If you can cope with these greens, which are so large and sloping, you can score well. I’d love to win this week because I’ve never won on the Omega China Tour.”

Zhou Jun was arguably the happiest player of all after continuing his good form from last month’s Tianjin Championship, where his fourth-place finish was his best ever on the circuit.

“Today was my first-ever bogey-free round! I’m so happy about that,” beamed the Tianjin-born 24-year-old, who enjoyed playing with former China National Team colleague Wu Kangchun. “My irons were particularly good, so I just hope I can continue like this in the second round.”

The experienced Redfern appeared the most confident of all the front-runners, having been five-under after his 11th hole before bogeying three of his last seven.

“I’m playing well, I’m confident and I’m here to win. This is the flagship event of the Omega China Tour, so this will be the biggest win of the year for the champion,” said the 35-year-old, whose wife Yvette, from Hong Kong, has caddied for him throughout his rookie season on the circuit.

“I also know that if I win I could even finish third on the Omega Order of Merit,” the Englishman added, referring to the increased RMB187,500 winner’s cheque due to the tournament’s record purse.

Zhou Xunshu’s wife was caddying for him for the first time this season and she had the desired effect as the ex-Military Police officer and former golf course security guard rediscovered the form that led to two top-10 finishes earlier in the season.

“I asked her to not worry about anything like reading lines or choosing clubs but just to make me laugh – and it worked out well. We just talked about our son,” beamed the powerfully built Zhou, whose first child is now six months old.

The season-ending Omega Championship boasts the highest prize money on the eight-event Omega China Tour and concludes the race for the Omega Order of Merit. Liao Guiming can only be overtaken if third-placed Li Chao wins the event and Liao finishes outside the top three.

The Omega Order of Merit champion will be crowned during Sunday evening’s Omega China Tour Gala Dinner at the Sofitel Wanda Beijing.

The Omega Championship is being held for the first time at the 27-hole Longxi Hotspring Golf Club after two successful editions at the Tianan Golf Club, also in the capital, when Liang Wenchong and Zhang Lianwei emerged as champions.

Omega Championship, Omega China Tour

Leading first-round scores (Chinese unless stated):

69 – Xu Qin, Zhou Jun

70 – Nick Redfern (ENG), Zhou Xunshu, Wu Ligui

71 – Wong Woon-man (HKG), Chen Xiaoma, Hsu Mong-nan (TPE)

72 – Liao Guiming, Chan Yih-shin (TPE), Wu Kangchun, Chen Jian, Yang Shengqin, Fu Xin, Li Chao, Wu Hongfu, Liu Junfeng, Huang Mingjie, Hou Jian (A)

73 – Wang Xu, Gu Cuilin, Xiao Zhijin, Sun Peng, Zhang Wei, Zheng Wengen, Xing Xiaoxuan

Selected scores:

74 – Jim Johnson (USA),

75 – Jovick Lee Wing-kei (HKG)

76 – Garth Cusick (AUS), Jason Robertson (RSA)

78 – Mark Giles (ENG)

79 – James Stewart (HKG)