Members of Dallas sporting royalty such as Tony Romo and Emmitt Smith are among the 40 celebrities paired up with legends of the game, former MLP pitcher Mark Mulder leading the celebrity component after Round 1.

Hensby is on top of the main event alongside Rob Labritz and Alex Cejka who have a one stroke buffer from Retief Goosen, David Frost, David Toms and Kirk Triplett.

Making his fifth start of the 2023 season, Hensby has two top-three finishes as he chases a maiden win in just his 15th appearance on the Champions Tour.

The Tamworth native recently returned to Australia and played some of our more iconic courses such as Royal Melbourne and New South Wales Golf Club with friends, preparation that appears to have paid off.

Hensby birdied the opening hole but had two bogeys as he went out in one-under 35. Back-to-back birdies at 10 and 11 generated back-nine momentum that he carried forward with further birdies at 14 and 18 to post five-under.

“It’s a tricky course,” Hensby said of Las Colinas Country Club layout. “The wind was really all over the place today.

“It doesn’t fit my eye that well, which is kind of strange. Last year I played the first round here and didn’t play too well and then played good the second round.

“The greens are so good, and if you drive it in play, you get a lot of birdie chances.

“It doesn’t really fit my eye, which is kind of strange that I played well.”

Hensby is just one of four Aussies inside the top 10 after Round 1.

Rod Pampling, David McKenzie and Stuart Appleby are all in a share of eighth after rounds of three-under 68 while Richard Green is tied for 27th after a round of one-under 70.

At the first women’s major of the year – the Chevron Championship also being played in Texas – Queensland’s Karis Davidson is leading the Aussie charge.

Making her major championship debut, Davidson posted even-par 72 in Round 2 to be in a tie for 26th at two-under.

One stroke from the lead after Round 1, Stephanie Kyriacou dropped to a share of 48th with a round of four-over 76, Minjee Lee (75) the third and final Aussie to make the cut which fell at one-over.

Victorian Lucas Herbert has a share of the lead at the DP World Tour’s ISPS HANDA Championship in Japan and will commence his third round at 1.20pm AEST.