Richard Sterne hopes his decision to take a more relaxed approach to the UBS Hong Kong Open can pay dividends for him.

In doing so, Sterne hopes to bring an end to an inconsistent year on the European Tour.

The 27-year-old South African could not have started 2008 better after capturing his third European Tour victory at the Joburg Open in January.

Sterne failed to carry momentum from that win into the rest of the year as he managed just one top-20 finish in 18 tournaments.

But he made a solid start to this season with joint 20th at the HSBC Champions and today carded a six-under-par 64 to share the first-round lead in Hong Kong with China's Liang Wen-chong.

Sterne, who was introduced to golf by his grandmother at the age of four, hopes tweaks to his game will bear fruit come Sunday.

"I hit 10 greens a round on average last season," he said. "That is not quite ideal for scoring so I have made it tough.

"I have been driving the ball okay but you just can't compete when you are not hitting more than 13, 14 greens a round.

"Right now, I don't get too fazed anymore. I think I have found a few right things here and there. This is the first week I am trying it so we'll see what happens."

Liang, meanwhile, is hoping to become the first Asian player in a decade to win the tournament.

The 30-year-old was well placed to take the outright lead after seven birdies but then three-putted his last hole for a bogey.

"I will try to be patient over the next three days and just try to play my best," said the 2007 Asian Tour Order of Merit winner.

"The golf course is very short but the fairways are narrow and you have to be careful each day and each fairway."

Sterne and Liang are one shot ahead of Chinese Taipei's Lin Wen-tang and Frankie Minoza of the Philippines.

Oliver Wilson was the highest-placed Briton after carding a four-under-par 66 and the Ryder Cup star is feeling confident about securing an elusive first professional win.

"I feel like I know how to win around this course," said the 28-year-old, who lost a play-off to Ryder Cup team-mate Sergio Garcia in the HSBC Champions.

"I feel like I can get into contention. If I can stay up there all week then I feel like I am getting closer."

Two-time major winner John Daly almost completed an impressive round after the American approached the eighth - his 17th - at four under.

However, the 42-year-old carded successive bogeys to return to the clubhouse at two under.

"I'm not too disappointed, being a little rusty," said Daly. "I have not played in a month and I think under par in the first round is pretty good and I'll take it."

Colin Montgomerie also shot a 68 to keep himself in the hunt for a second Hong Kong victory in three years.

"It is a good course. Anything in the top 20 on the first day means we are doing okay," he said. "I'm looking forward to coming out tomorrow morning and getting a good round under my belt."

Nick Faldo, playing in his first professional tournament in over a year, finished two over par while Simon Griffiths hit a hole-in-one with a nine iron from 144 yards on the par-three 12th to earn himself a solid gold bar worth around £16,000.