Cameron Davis is the early clubhouse leader at the Australian Open after carding a first-round nine-under at The Lakes.
Davis, the 2017 champion at The Australian, was able to take full advantage of the uncharacteristic conditions to card seven birdies and an eagle.
The lone eagle came at the par-5 14th, where he hit successive 3-irons, the second finishing just over a metre from the hole.
FOLLOW LIVE: 2023 Australian Open first round
READ MORE: Smith eyes weekend run despite first round ‘frustration’
READ MORE: ‘It changed my life’: What Ali taught fighter grandson
“Low three iron off the tee, nice stock three iron in close to the hole, short putt,” he explained after the round.
“It’s always nice to have a four-footer for eagle.”
If only it were that simple.
Davis said he would be giving himself the afternoon off after shooting the low round of the morning.
Heavy rain on Wednesday night meant the greens were far softer than might otherwise be expected, and the strong breezes which are another characteristic of the course didn’t pick up.
Players were also playing preferred lies on the fairways.
Davis said the round was “by far the cleanest round I’ve ever had around here”.
“I was sort of expecting the wind to start picking up. It never really did.
Watch the 2023 Australian Open golf live and free from November 30 on Nine and 9Now
“You still had to play all the shots, and I just felt like I had good clean control of my ball all day to give myself good putts at birdie.”
The best score from next door at The Australian on Thursday morning was a six-under from Scottsman Grant Forrest.
Davis said he felt their scores would be about on-par with each other, given The Lakes is regarded as a slightly easier course than The Australian, where Davis will now turn his attention.
“You want to make the most of good conditions out here (at The Lakes), because there is the opportunity to go low,” he said.
“Very happy with the start, now it’s just about finding rhythm (at The Australian). It’s a different golf course, different grass, probably different conditions as well for the rest of the week.
“You’ve just got to start all over again pretty much and try and find your rhythm.
“We’ve got three rounds in a row now at the same place, so you can get used to the sight lines, and fingers crossed there’s some more good play.
“I would love to be right up there on Sunday.”
So after a start like that, how will he spend his afternoon?
“I can go back to the hotel and have a smile on my face and think to myself, ‘job well done’,” he said.
“I don’t need to do any more grinding (practice) or anything like that, I’ll conserve the energy and keep it for the rest of the week.”