The Whangarei Golf Club 18-year-old, who has been the form player in New Zealand during the past two months, carded a six-under par 66 in the fine and warm conditions at the Taupo Golf Club's Centennial Course to earn a commanding four-shot lead. Five players share second.
Neho, who is the Northland No1, made an albatross, five birdies and two bogeys in his opening round that confirmed he is the player to beat this week.
"I am feeling really confident with my game at the moment and I want to play well this week. I have never won an age-group title and this is my last chance so it would mean a lot to me to win here."
Neho, who shot to prominence last year when he was the first Northlander to win the New Zealand Amateur Championship in 120 years, has been a revelation of late.
He started the year in forgettable fashion when he carded a 97 in round two of the NZ Open at The Hills but since then has broken the shackles.
Neho made the New Zealand Amateur semifinals, then went on to win in his last two starts at the North Harbour Stroke Play Championship and the Waikato Winter Stroke Play - and before that won the Tom Bonnington Cup and finished runner-up at the Bream Bay Classic.
"I had a bit of a form slump at the start of the year and got stuck in a bit of a rut. But I have been able to turn that around with the help of New Zealand Golf. It has all been about hard work and practice. I have put the hours in and it is paying off."
The NZ age-group championship has been won by many of the best players from both sides of the Tasman, including Greg Turner, Michael Campbell, Michael Long, Adam Scott, Steven Bowditch and Jason Day.
That illustrates it is a stepping stone event on the golf pathway. Neho would love to add his name to the list.
"It is only day one so I can't celebrate just yet," he said.
Massey put end to run
Whangarei Boys' High School have had their hunt for a three-peat of New Zealand Secondary Schools golf titles halted by a spectacular comeback at the Taupo Golf Club.
Massey High School rallied in the final round to win by three strokes, holding off Boys' High and becoming only the third team from North Harbour to win the title.
The two-time champions from Northland came close to matching the feats of Rotorua Boys, who is the only team to win the title three years in a row from 1999-2001, and should be proud of their performance.
However, there was some consolation for Boys' High at the tournament this week, with Whangarei golfer Christian Nitsche carding rounds of 71 and 68 for a five-under par total to win the individual title by two shots from Manawatu's Josh Sedgwick.
