Peter Fowler set the first round pace at the ANZ Championship in Sydney today to lead a clutch of Australians at the top of the leaderboard.
Fowler (43) leads the 156-man field on 17 points in the modified stableford tournament, with Stuart Appleby second on 16 points, followed by Peter Lonard (15) and Craig Parry (14).
The Australian continued on from his 2002 rejuvenation by shooting nine birdies and one bogey for a score of eight-under-par 64.
The scoring system is aimed at encouraging attacking golf.
A birdie wins two points, an eagle five and with a par being zero and a bogey only minus one, the onus is on the players to attack the pin.
Ireland's Peter Lawrie shot six birdies, one bogey and a double bogey for a three-under-par 69 and an eight point total.
