It was great pleasure to be able to play the Sheshan Golf Club course for a very first time since attending the inaugural 2006 HSBC Champions event.

AFPs Danny Hicks were late entrants and joining a corporate outing hosted by IMG.

It was a 7am shotgun start and with our fourball commencing from the tough par four 15th hole.

However while it was still early in the day eyes were wide awake a few minutes later when he tackled the short par four, 16th and the hole with American Dustin Johnson closed the door shut of his British rivals Ian Poulter and Graeme McDowell when he played a massive 3-iron shot to just short of the green from where he chipped-in for an eagle three.

The dew early in the morning made it extra penal playing from the rough but in the end it was certainly a great way to spend a Monday morning.

So many thanks especially to Marc from IMG for finding a place in the field for Danny and myself.

Here, as usual, is a collection of photographs from the morning.

* Click to enlarge.