Charles, who turned pro after a top-five finish at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship at Royal Melbourne last October, shot a 6-under-par 66 on the Moonah Links Open Course to sit atop the leaderboard with West Australian Ryan Peake.

Kiwi Denzel Ieremia is next in line at 5-under, one ahead of NSW duo Nathan Barbieri and Josh Clarke.

Peake, who finished 79th on last season’s Order of Merit, was first to post 6-under with his round highlighted by a back nine of 30, while Charles birdied four of his last eight holes on a bogey-free day.

Charles’ Asia-Pacific teammate, Jye Pickin (NSW), is the leading amateur, in equal eighth at 2-under.

It was a rocky start to Final Stage for the winners of First Stage, also played at Moonah Links, last week.

Jordan Doull, from Mt Lawley Golf Club in Perth, was the best of the trio, in a share of 29th after a 2-over 74, while Queensland professional Zachary Maxwell shot a 76 to be T46 and Ryan Swann, from Pacific Golf Club in Brisbanem battled to a 79 to be in 65th position.

The top 30 finishers after 72 holes will earn Full Tournament Membership of the PGA of Australia and be placed in a Tournament Exemption Category.

Those players finishing beyond 30th place and ties, who complete 72 holes at Final Stage, will be eligible for Full Tournament Membership of the PGA of Australia, however, they will not hold an exemption category for the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia.

All players who play 72 holes of the Final Stage will earn a pro-am exemption category and be eligible to enter adidas PGA Pro-Am series events.

Photo: Victorian professional Max Charles

Round 1 leaderboard