SHENZHEN, 16 Apr 2015 (AFP) - He is a stroke ahead of four players on 67 -- South Korea's An Byeong-Hun, who aced the 226-yard eighth hole, American Peter Uihlein, Thailand's Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Chile's Felipe Aguilar.
China's Huang showed a welcome return to form after a torrid 2014 in which he made only one cut in seven appearances on the European Tour with a sparkling 66 that included eight birdies.
Huang admitted it was his best round since a closing 65 at the European Tour's BMW International Open in Germany, way back in June 2013.
"Last year I played very bad but this is a new year," he said. "I have changed my swing a little and yesterday I changed my driver and it was very good. I like the new driver. I also like the course and the greens.”
Globe-trotting Watson, who triumphed at the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai on his last visit to China in November, had a warning for those ahead of him -- there would be no Masters hangover and he was definitely in Shenzhen to win.
"More practice and more feel and it’s going to get better," he said ominously.
"The whole course sets up good for me and hit my driver quite nicely today off the tee. It set up some holes, so hopefully tomorrow I’ll make a few more putts.
"I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t motivated to win."
Leading first round scores on Thursday at the European Tour's Shenzhen International at Genzon Golf Club, Shenzhen, China (par 72, *denotes amateur):
66 - Huang Wenyi (CHN)
67 - Peter Uihlein (USA), An Byeong-Hun (KOR), Kiradech Aphibarnrat (THA), Felipe Aguilar (CHI)
68 - Darren Fichardt (RSA),
69 - Ross Fisher (ENG), Romain Wattel (FRA), Anthony Wall (ENG), Garth Mulroy (RSA), Shiv Kapur (IND), Matt Ford (ENG), Rafa Cabrera-Bello (ESP), Marco Crespi (ITA), Matteo Manassero (ITA), Andy Sullivan (ENG)
70 - Bubba Watson (USA), Scott Hend (AUS), David Horsey (ENG), Bradley Dredge (WAL), Benjamin Hebert (FRA), Jordi Garcia Pinto (ESP), Gregory Havret (FRA), Wu Weihuang (CHN), Tommy Fleetwood (ENG), Gary Stal (FRA), Yang Yinong* (CHN), Fan Zhipeng (CHN), Richard Finch (ENG)