Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee took the early lead at the Johnnie Walker Classic in Perth today.
The 32-year-old Asian tour Order of Merit winner, who did not turn professional until three years ago - he was a parachutist in the Thai army for 11 years - posted a five-under-par 67 at the Lake Karrinyup club.
It put Jaidee two ahead of playing partner Sergio Garcia and New Zealander Michael Campbell.
Campbell, pipped for the New Zealand Open two weeks ago, let a really low round slip away with three bogeys in his last six holes.
Having started on the 10th, the Kiwi had five successive birdies from the 13th and said: "I was very, very surprised by that. I'm not a morning person. But all of a sudden I went berserk.
"The last six were a bit of a shame, but the course changed completely. The greens got two or three feet faster and a lot harder. You could hear the thud when the ball landed".
Garcia was happy enough with his start. "It could have been lower, but I'll take it," he said. "I missed some opportunities, but with the wind and the undulations and as fast as the greens are it's something you are going to do".
Of the later starters Ernie Els made a good start with an eagle at the 542-yard third and Lee Westwood was one under after four. But Colin Montgomerie bogeyed the first two and Justin Rose, winner of the Dunhill championship in South Africa on Sunday, double-bogeyed the second.