Ilonen in share of lead

The 28-year-old Ilonen, who won two European Tour titles last season, carded six birdies and a bogey, while the 39-year-old Carolan had a bogey-free but eventful round - sacking his local caddie after five holes - to share a one-shot lead at the Pinx Golf Club on Jeju Island.

Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell, Ireland's Paul McGinley and England's Simon Griffiths were among a chasing pack of 10 players on four under par in this dual sanctioned Asian Tour and European Tour event.

American Anthony Kim, whose parents hail from South Korea, and previously unknown Hwang Inn-Choon, who was invited to the event by the Korean PGA, also carded 68.

Kim's playing partner KJ Choi, the home favourite, shot one under, including a double-bogey six on the seventh when he was denied relief next to an ant hill.

Padraig Harrington made a steady but unspectacular start, salvaging a 71 by finishing with successive birdies.

McDowell from Portrush, Northern Ireland, tied for fifth in the Dubai Desert Classic last month, and made three birdies and two bogeys on his opening nine after starting at the 10th.

Successive birdies on the par-five fourth and the par-three fifth elevated McDowell to three under before a four on the par-five ninth, his last, resulted in a 68.

Australia's Scott Hend made a sensational start and was six under through 11 holes, including a birdie on the eighth after rescuing the ball from a tree where it was one and a half feet off the ground, and holing a bunker shot on the 10th.

However, the 34-year-old was level par on the back nine, including a bogey five after finding the water at the last.