The Belgian pairing of Thomas Pieters and Thomas Detry posted a one-under-par 71 in the opening round of foursomes to join South Korean duo Kim Si-woo and An Byeong-hun on 10-under overall at the Metropolitan Golf Club.

Kim and An finished level par on a testing day of windy and wet conditions.

Italy’s Andrea Pavan and Renato Paratore are one of four teams tied for third place, two strokes behind.

They are joined by India’s Anirban Lahiri and Gaganjeet Bhullar, Malaysia’s Gavin Green and Ben Leong, and England’s Tyrrell Hatton and Ian Poulter.

Hatton and Poulter slipped off the lead after a two-over 74.

Australia's Marc Leishman and Cameron Smith also shared the lead after round one but a four-over 74 today means they are now in a tie for eighth place with Scotland’s Russell Knox and Martin Laird.

Mexico's Abraham Ancer, who won last week's Australian Open, and Roberto Diaz, enjoyed the best round of the day, carding a two-under 70 to edge above the home favourites.

Their only dropped shot came with a bogey at the last.

They finished their round about an hour before the later groups, when the rain became heavier.

Defending champions Thorbjorn Olesen and Soren Kjeldsen of Denmark are six shots off the pace on four-under and are tied for 12^th place.

The format reverts to fourballs tomorrow before a return to foursomes for the final round on Sunday (November 25).