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Ten players are within a shot of each other at the top of the men's tournament, while Korean Haeji Kang and Sweden's Madelene Sagstrom share the women's lead on day one of the ISPS Handa Vic Open at 13th Beach.
Victorian Matt Griffin, New South Welshmen Travis Smyth and Justin Warren and Queenslander Jake McLeod all shot seven-under par 65s to lead the men's tournament but there are another six players all at six-under par.
Griffin is the 2014 Vic Open champion, and plays most of his golf on the Japanese tour. He went blemish-free and did not miss a single fairway on the Creek course.
“The Creek has normally been the course I struggle on out of the two here so I’m very happy to get off to that start,” he said.
Queensland amateur Jed Morgan, the Australian Amateur champion, is among the big group at six-under as is boom Western Australian pro Min Woo Lee, who birdied his last three holes on the Creek course to post 66.
Sagstrom shares top spot in the women’s tournament after a superb 8-under 65, also on the Creek course, matching Kang, the Korean who spent her high school years living on the Gold Coast.
Sagstrom, who claimed her first LPGA win just two weeks ago in the US, started and finished her round hot with six birdies in her first seven holes before breaking a run of pars with birdies at each of the last three.
Veteran Dame Laura Davies turned back the clock with a brilliant, opening 67 in her first tournament start for a few months, but Karrie Webb opened with a two-over par 75 on the Creek course.
Some of the tournament favorites are still on the courses, including Lucas Herbert, Minjee Lee, Hannah Green and Korean Inbee Park.