FIRST ROUND LEADERBOARDBoo Weekley and Heath Slocum of the USA produced a strong performance on Thanksgiving Day to top the leaderboard after the first round of the World Cup.
Weekley and Slocum took a one-stroke lead with an 11-under 61 in fourballs at Mission Hills in Shenzhen, China.
Defending champions Germany were in second place on 10 under, after Alex Cejka and Martin Kaymer carded 62.
England, Scotland and Wales joined three other teams a shot further back tied for third.
"We didn't make any mistakes and didn't make any bogeys - which is obviously what kills you"
Weekley got the United States off to a good start with a birdie on the first, before Slocum putted for an eagle on the par-five third.
They reached the turn at five under before Weekley carded a birdie on the 11th, made an eagle on the par-four 12th and sank two successive birdies from the 16th.
England duo Justin Rose and Ian Poulter made a solid start, Poulter carding two eagles as the two-time winners finished at nine under.
"I think we played steadily," said Rose. "We didn't make too many birdies or too many putts, but we made key putts.
"We didn't make any mistakes and didn't make any bogeys - which is obviously what kills you out there."
"If I was home right now, I'd be deer hunting"
Weekley and Slocum were offered the chance to aim for a 25th US World Cup win in thew absence of more illustrious players like Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson.
Weekley's visit to China is only the third time he has left his home country and he admitted to not knowing much about the country apart from "rice" and the Great Wall.
"It's a culture shock for me to come out and see different things because I'm a home boy," he said.
"I like to stay right around the house in the States... If I was home right now, I'd be deer hunting."
606: DEBATE
Scotland's Colin Montgomerie and Marc Warren combined for five birdies on the front nine before a combined total of four coming home cemented their place among the clubhouse leaders.
Bradley Dredge and Stephen Dodd also made the ideal start as they look to secure a second World Cup victory in two years - carding an eagle and eight birdies while dropping one shot.
South Africa's Retief Goosen and Trevor Immelman, who have both been successful success in previous versions of the tournament were also in the clubhouse at nine under.
Joining them were the Finnish duo of club professional Pasi Purhonen and Mikko Ilonen, who went nine under to take an early lead.
Ireland's Michael Hoey and Gareth Maybin were three shots behind, after carding a six-under 66.
The World Cup sees teams of two people from each country compete over four rounds of golf.
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