Australian PGA Championship: Peter Senior and Steve Collins shot matching rounds of eight-under-par 64 to share the lead after the opening round of the Australian PGA championship yesterday.

Senior fired nine birdies and a bogey while Collins sunk eight birdies at Coolum on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.

Rod Pampling birdied each of the last four holes to finish in third place with a 65, one shot clear of Martin Doyle, who was outright fourth.

A group of eight players, including Australia's former world number one Greg Norman - who had former tennis world number one Lleyton Hewitt carrying his bag - entered the clubhouse a shot back at five-under-par.

Last year's joint winner Peter Lonard and Australian Masters runner-up Adam Scott were in a group of eight at four under par.

Senior gave up full-time golf this season to spend more time with his family but has shown he has lost none of his touch, finishing 11th in last week's Australian Masters.

Norman made a slow start, parring his first seven holes before a late run saw him climb the leaderboard. The twice British Open champion, who has not won a tournament for five years, made his own club selection and marked his own yardage.

Norman brought his regular caddy, Tony Navarro, with him to Australia but agreed to let Hewitt carry his bags after a request from the former US Open and Wimbledon champion.

"He's a sportsman, he never got in the way today and he knew exactly what he was doing," Norman said.