Out in the ninth group of the day, Yeo was on record-setting pace when he made the turn in just 28 strokes and eight-under par, making six birdies and an eagle in the space of seven holes on the front nine.

When he converted birdie chances at 11 and 12, Ryan Fox’s 2021 course record of 10-under 62 was within his grasp. But Yeo would ultimately drop a shot on 13 and make a messy double bogey on the par-5 17th to sign for a nine-under 63, one shy of matching Fox’s mark.

It gives the nearby North Shore Golf Club member a two-stroke lead from 2017 champion Jarryd Felton (65) and Queensland’s Brett Rankin (65) with two-time champion Michael Hendry (67) two shots further back in a share of ninth.

After a regulation par at the first, Yeo unleashed an assault on the Gulf Harbour front nine.

Taking full advantage of the benign conditions, Yeo made birdies at two, three, four and five, eagled the par-5 sixth and then backed it up with birdies on seven and eight.

For a young professional yet to make a cut in nine previous starts on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia, it was an extraordinary way to start a golf tournament.

“I just can’t believe I shoot a big number under par. It’s unbelievable,” Yeo said post-round.

“It was after the ninth hole that I realised that I was eight-under. I thought, I’m on fire today.

“My driver today was a little bit unstable, pulling and pushing it a bit. But my iron shots and wedge shots were pretty good today. Also my putting.

“I could see the lines on every putt and then I just putted in.”

Felton, too, must have breathed a deep sigh of relief after his opening 65.

Tied for third at the WA PGA Championship in the first event of the season, Felton has found himself stuck in mid-table mediocrity of late.

It is an unfamiliar place for the 27-year-old to occupy so he was understandably thrilled to put himself in a prominent position at the end of day one.

“Played really well. Got what I think I deserved out of it towards the end there. Looking forward to the rest of the week,” said Felton, who birdied three of his final four holes.

“Obviously good vibes from 2017 when I won. It’s been a while but I’d love to get another win up here.”

Another tapping into good vibes is Hendry.

Staying in his own home this week and the champion in 2012 and 2013, Hendry admitted that his morning ritual was slightly different compared to every other week on tour.

“It was weird getting up this morning, going through the routines that I normally go through but how do I do that at home? It was just really odd,” Hendry said.

Winner of the Vic Open at 13th Beach Golf Links last month and tied for sixth last week in Queenstown, Hendry knows that another strong showing in his home country can open up numerous rewards on the PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit.

“It is important, not only or the Order of Merit but for the NZ PGA again,” said Hendry, who is currently sixth on the Order of Merit.

“If you try and put too much pressure on the result, that’s when you start making bogeys.

“The first round last week really killed me because I was trying too hard to put myself in position after Round 1.

“Learn that lesson and move through the week and quietly accumulate a total. Hopefully it will be good enough come Sunday.”

A late surge from Rankin saw him join Felton in a share of second at seven-under, one clear of veteran Michael Wright, Matias Sanchez, Louis Dobbelaar, Kit Bittle and Jordan Loof, all of whom shot six-under 66 on Thursday.