Talented West Australian Stephen Dartnall produced a brilliant finishing stretch to grab a one-shot lead after the first round of the Victorian PGA Championship.
The 28-year-old closed his round with eagle, birdie, birdie at the tricky Forest Resort course to sign for a five-under par 66.
One shot back in a tie for second is a group of five players – South Australia’s Jason Norris, New Zealand pair Gareth Paddison and Ryan Fox and Victorians Scott Laycock and Leighton Lyle.
Tournament favourite NSW’s Andre Stolz shot 68 to be tied seventh with three others.
Dartnall struggled last year on the second-tier Nationwide Tour in the United States, but is overdue to win a 72-hole professional tournament.
“I played pretty conservative, I think you have to for four days at this course to have a winning chance,” said Dartnall.
“You’ve got to pick your mark (to attack) but you have to play smart otherwise you will come undone.”
But all players faced a range of challenges throughout the first 18 holes of competition over the par-71 layout at Creswick, near Ballarat.
Hazards built into the design include crowned fairways with run-offs into forest trees, while a number of billabongs lurked menacingly over several landing areas.
Three-time Australian Masters champion Craig Parry was one to battle with the difficult layout, over-clubbing with his tee-shot on the 168m par-three 14th hole to leave the 44-year-old’s ball in a terrible lie.
But Parry produced a miracle recovery shot with a lofted wedge to not only extricate his ball, but also end up on the green.
“It was a foot above the ground, little bush behind it, high bank in my face, water on the other side,” explained Parry, who went on to card a meritorious 72.
“Looking back now if I’ve missed the shot I could have been there all day.”
NSW veteran Peter O’Malley was also a little off the pace with an opening round 70.