The 34-year-old, who has been a regular on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia since 2016, shot a 4-under-par 68 to lead Tasmania Golf Club PGA Professional Scott Priest by a shot heading into the weekend, with Tim Hart (Qld) and Kyle Michel (Vic) sharing third at 2-under.

The leading amateur, Victorian Christopher Sayer, is part of a group of six players at 1-under, while defending champion Toby Walker is six back after a 74.

Edge’s opening round in the 54-hole adidas Pro-Am Series event featured five birdies with his only slip-up coming at the 330m par-4 16th.

“I was a pretty nice round to be fair. I kept it out of the strife all day pretty much,” Edge said.

“It was enjoyable playing a course that wasn’t crazy long and gave us a lot chances for up and downs for birdie.

“I hadn’t been here for a couple of years. It’s a nice old, style course that gives you the chance to be a bit creative and get wedge in hand pretty often.”

In the all-amateur women’s Open, Matilda Miels turned in the only under-par round on day one, a 1-under 72, to grab a two-shot lead over Rebecca Zhao with Jorjah Bailey a further two shots back.

Miels, from Kooyonga in South Australia, picked up six birdies, including a sequence of three to start her day when she took advantage of the back-to-back par-5 10th and 11th holes and the short-par 12th.

”The course is short and the greens are running quick,” Miels said.

“It was good to hole a couple of putts out there today.

“I don’t mind coming to Tasmania.  My boyfriend’s parents live here. so we’ve been back a few times this year.”

Zhao (NSW) staged a great fightback on the back nine, shooting a 3-under 34 after going out in 4-over 40.

The Men’s and Women’s Tasmanian Opens are supported by the Tasmanian Government through Events Tasmania