World Cup:Ireland's Michael Hoey and Gareth Maybin carded a first round six-under 66 but are five shots off the pace set by Americans Boo Weekley and Heath Slocum in the World Cup in China.

Weekley was not exactly America's first choice for this week's event but it would be hard to find a player more committed to the cause.

Weekley and his childhood friend Heath Slocum celebrated Thanksgiving by combining for an 11-under-par 61 and a one-stroke lead after the first round fourballs at Mission Hills.

They are hoping to take the trophy back to the US for the 24th time and emulate such illustrious American World Cup winners as Tiger Woods, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus.

One shot back are Alex Cejka and Martin Kaymer of defending champions Germany, with six other teams Finland, Wales, Scotland, South Africa, Thailand and England on 63.

Weekley said he was honoured to represent the US and would not have been able to turn down the call even if he was one of the Americans who currently make up the world's top four.

"I don't think I could," he said. "But I mean that's me, you know."

Weekley's visit to China is only the third time he has left the US and he admitted to not knowing much about the country apart from "rice" and the Great Wall.

England's Ian Poulter and Justin Rose shot themselves into contention with a nine-under-par 63.

The duo, decked out in the colours of the England flag, shot a combined three birdies through eight holes - before Poulter carded an eagle on the long, par-five ninth.

The Hitchin-born player added his second eagle just two holes later, before making another birdie on the 15th at the course's signature hole.

Rose then putted for a birdie on the last to secure their place among the chasing pack before today's foursomes.

"I think we are both very happy to be in the position we are in, nine under par is a very good score."

Defending champions Germany claimed sole possession of second place, as Cejka and Kaymer carded an overall 62. Scotland's Colin Montgomerie and Marc Warren, who lost out in a play-off to Germany last year, once again combined to card an impressive first-round score.

Last year the duo shot a 67 on the opening day in Barbados, and this time a good run on the front nine - Warren carding two birdies to Montgomerie's three - propelled them up the leaderboard, before a combined total of four coming home cemented their place near the top.

"We did very well," said Montgomerie.

"We got off to a good start, which is important in fourball.

"We birdied the first two holes and settled down a bit, before we got another seven from there.

"I thought that a six or seven under would be good, and we got an extra two.

"It has put us in a good position for tomorrow."

Wales duo Bradley Dredge and Stephen Dodd joined Scotland and England on nine under as they look to secure a second victory in two years, carding an eagle and eight birdies while dropping just one shot.

It was all the more impressive, considering Dodd had been feeling unwell in the build-up to the tournament.

"I had a migraine for a few days and didn't feel very good on Tuesday - and I just felt terrible all day yesterday," he said.

"I felt a lot better this morning when I woke up - not 100 per cent, but I feel better now. So I hope I will be okay for the rest of the tournament."

Meanwhile, South Africa pair Retief Goosen and Trevor Immelman - who have both tasted success in previous incarnations of the tournament, though with different playing partners - were also in the clubhouse at nine under.

Joining them were early leaders Finland and Thailand.

First round scores at Mission Hills GC, China (par 72)

61- United States (Slocum and Weekley); 62- Germany (Cejka and Kaymer; 63- RSA (Goosen and Immelman), Thailand (Jaidee and Marksaeng), Wales (Dodd and Dredge), Scotland (Montgomerie and Warren), Finland (Ilonen and Purhonen), England (Poulter and Rose); 64- France (Havret and Jacquelin); Austria (Brier and Grenier); 65- China (Liang Wen-Chong and Zhang Lian-Wei), Netherlands (Derksen and Lafeber), Denmark (Hansen A and Hansen S), India (Ghei and Randhawa), Korea (Lee Seung-Ho and Lee Sung), Argentina (Gonzalez and Romero), Italy (Molinari E and Molinari F); 66- Australia (Green and O'Hern), Paraguay (Franco and Zanotti), Sweden (Hanson and Karlsson), Canada (Weir and Heffernan), IRELAND(Hoey and Maybin); 67- Spain (Jimenez and Lara), Japan (Tanihara and Hiratsuka), Philippines (Lascina and Rosales), New Zealand (Lee and Scahill); 68- Puerto Rico (Morales and Suarez), Colombia (Benedetti and Mendoza).