KEY POINTS:
David Smail continued his impressive end-of-year form to card a 70 in tough conditions on the opening day of the Australian Open in Sydney.
The Hamilton golfer grabbed five birdies on the windswept Australian Club course to end his round just three strokes behind early clubhouse leaders Robert Allenby and Andrew Bonhomme, both of Australia.
Allenby, winner of the recent Australian Masters, birdied four holes in a row in his five under 67 as the 36-year old Victorian targets a third Open title and second in three years.
Bonhomme posted eight birdies in his round.
Fellow Queenslander Scott Hend is at four-under and tied with Victorian and former US Open champion, Geoff Ogilvy, who joined Allenby in being out in the very first group of the morning.
Smail teed-off in the second group behind Allenby, Ogilvy and American Brandt Snedeker and was off to a steady start with a third hole birdie before dropping the first of three shots in his round with a bogey at his fourth hole.
Smail then moved up the leader board with three birdies in four holes from his ninth to move to three under ahead of bogeys at his seventh and eight holes.
But the Australasian order of merit leader then holed a birdie putt at the last to finish two under.
"It wasn't easy out there so I am really pleased to finish under par," said Smail.
"The last time I played here was in the 1996 Australian Open and they've lengthened the course quite a bit since, but after dropping shots at my 16th and 17th, it was nice to birdie the last."
He was happy to have gone under par as he felt the afternoon starters would face tougher conditions.
Smail secured his best Australasian Tour result in six years when he finished runner-up last week to Australia's Peter Lonard on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.
"I was really pleased with the way I played last week and I really liked the greens up there at Coolum.
"My putting has been a strong point for the past three months.
"I also finished third here in the 1996 Australian Open so this round of 70 is a good start to hopefully going two spots better."
- NZPA
