McDowell on the pace in Jeju

Chasing his first victory in the Asian Tour or European Tour at this dual sanctioned event, the 34-year-old dropped a shot at the par-three second before scoring three birdies in four holes and then successive eagles on the ninth and 10th at the Pinx Golf Club on Jeju Island.

Finland's Ilonen, who won two European Tour events last season, the Scandinavian Masters and the Indonesian Open, carded four birdies and a bogey on his opening nine before two further birdies in a 67.

Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell signed for four under par and was level with Japan's Shingo Katayama and India's Jeev Milkha Singh, while previously unknown Hwang Inn-Choon gave the galleries reason to cheer in the inaugural European Tour event in South Korea.

Hwang, who was invited to the event by the Korean PGA, reached the turn in four under 32 before a further birdie at the 11th and a dropped shot at the 12th, which was reclaimed two holes later.

But the 33-year-old finished with a five on the 18th to drop back to four under.

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.

McDowell said: "It lacks a bit of rough, so you can give it a bit of a lash of the tee, but you've got to be super smart coming into these greens.

"I played the last seven holes in three under, so it's pleasant enough, and it was nice to finish with a birdie."