The leading player after day one of the New Zealand Open at Millbrook is Australian Harrison Crowe, with the best of the local players Josh Geary and Michael Hendry four shots back.
Sydneysider Crowe has the outright lead at nine-under after carding a 62 including nine birdies and an eagle.
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He had just one blemish on the par-4 13th hole of the Remarkables course when his shot went out of bounds for a double bogey, however he made up for it in the rest of the round.
Searching for his first big win of his career his career he leads Victoria's James Marchesani by a shot who is on the Coronet course.
Two other Australians, Lucas Herbert and Kevin Yuan, as well as Korean Guntaek Koh, are two strokes behind in a share of third at 7-under.
Geary 40 and Hendry 45 are tied ninth after 66's at five-under with Queenstown-based Ben Campbell in a share of 23rd at 4-under.
Defending champion Takahiro Hataji started with a 2-under-par 70.