KEY POINTS:
David Smail made an immediate impact in his first Australasian golf start of the season to be right on the pace after day one of the Australian PGA Championship on the Hyatt Regency course in Coolum yesterday.
The Japan-based New Zealander shot an opening round five-under-par 67 to be two shots behind leader Michael Sim, of Australia, who had a one-stroke advantage over a four-strong group including compatriots Craig Parry and Peter Lonard.
Smail and Australian Adam Scott, who both played in ideal morning conditions, were tied for sixth.
"It was a terrific round, four-under on the front nine, made a couple of good putts on the sixth and seventh, and I've shot three-under on the back, so 65, [I'm] very happy," Sim said.
Smail missed last week's New Zealand Open near Queenstown to play in the season-ending JT Cup for the top 25 players on the Japanese Tour.
Two other New Zealanders broke par yesterday to be prominent on the leaderboard.
Michael Long continued his solid recent form to shoot a four-under 68 to be in a nine-way tie for eighth, while Mahal Pearce shot 69 to head into day two in a tie for 17th.
Leading Australian hope Stuart Appleby did not fare nearly as well though, the Victorian plummeting from one-over-par after 15 holes to plus six with a 78.
- NZPA