Cameron Smith of Australia competes at the Hong Kong Open golf tournament on Nov 9, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

HONG KONG - Australian golf star Cameron Smith marked his return to the Hong Kong Open after nearly a decade in style on Thursday by shooting a first-round seven-under-par 63 to take the lead along with Spanish rising star Eugenio Chacarra.

South Korean Jang Yu-bin, who only turned professional last month after helping his country win the team gold at the Hangzhou Asian Games, and Thailand's Gunn Charoenkul came in with 64s, while American Andy Ogletree, Thailand's Phachara Khongwatmai, Lee Tae-hee from South Korea, Chinese Taipei's Lee Chieh-po and Harrison Crowe, winner of last month's Asian Amateur Championship, from Australia returned 65s.

Smith, who won twice on the LIV Golf League this year to finish second on the rankings behind American Talor Gooch, played in this event in 2014, the year after he turned professional, and tied for ninth.

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Taichi Kho of Hong Kong, China competes at the Hong Kong Open golf tournament on Nov 9, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

"It's been a long time since I have been here. It's probably been too long," said Smith, who played just the one season on the Asian Tour.

"Hong Kong is one of my favorite cities, the golf course speaks for itself and the Asian Tour is on the up, and I love it."

Smith made a total of eight birdies and just one bogey today. He opened with birdies on the first two holes, before making a late run for the lead with four in a row from 14.

Chacarra went round bogey-free in his debut appearance in the Hong Kong Open, the penultimate leg of The International Series. He began on 11 and did not hold back making four birdies in his first five, before adding two more on the back.

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Gooch carded a 68 and defending champion Wade Ormsby from Australia shot a 70.