The reigning adidas PGA Pro-Am Series Order of Merit winner, Campbell opened with a round of 7-under 64 on Thursday morning, a score that held up as the day’s best at the completion of Round 1.

Queensland’s Dylan Gardner (66) is Campbell’s closest challenger with Elvis Smylie in a four-way tie for third with newly-minted professional Jye Pickin, Brock Gillard and Jack Pountney at 4-under 67.

Playing with Smylie, Campbell found himself two shots back of his playing partner when he made bogey at the par-4 12th but responded with birdies at 14, 16 and 18 to turn in 2-under.

He still trailed Smylie by a shot but there was a two-shot swing at the par-5 first when Smylie made bogey and Campbell made birdie.

It was the second in a run of five in the space of six holes, the highlight of which was a 35-footer that rolled in dead centre at the par-3 third.

“It was playing 180, I hit 7-iron pin high to about 35 feet left of it just on the green,” said Campbell.

“I took relief from a bare patch and obviously put it in the right spot. Aimed it just outside the left and it just motored straight in the middle of the hole.

“It’s a nice feeling to hole a long putt any time then I just kicked on from there, making two birdies after that.”

Campbell made a switch from a Titleist to a Callaway driver on the eve of the tournament, a move that created opportunities for the flatstick to do its thing on the green.

“For me, it’s a deadly combination when I can drive it good and putt it well,” Campbell added.

“I’ve been playing Titleist for the last couple of years and had a chat to Dan Cooper, the tour rep for Callaway. I’m at a position where I can test a few different things and I just brought it up with me and had a practice round yesterday.

“Didn’t miss a shot so it kind of spoke for itself and had to go in the bag.

“I just trusted it and it’s working well so I’m just going to keep rolling with it.”

A recent graduate of the PGA’s Membership Pathway Program based at Pelican Waters Golf Club on the Sunshine Coast, Gardner was quick out of the blocks.

He began with a birdie at the par-5 first and birdied four, six, seven and nine to play the front nine in 5-under 30.

Six straight pars followed into the back nine before a birdie on 16 and bogey on 18 saw him end the day two back.

A birdie at the par-4 eighth had Smylie in line to also finish Round 1 at 5-under par only to drop a shot on his final hole.

Veteran Sam Brazel made a late charge with four straight birdies on the back nine to reach 3-under par as defending champion Brett Rankin struggled to a 2-over 73 to be tied for 31st.

Round 1 scores