Bogey-free and 7-under through 15 holes, a mental error led to a double-bogey at the par-4 16th. In a sign of growing maturity, Hart responded with a two-putt birdie at the par-5 17th and then produced an exceptional two-putt from the front of the 18th green to sign for a 6-under 66.

That is one shy of the course record jointly shared by 2021 champion Anthony Quayle and Haydn Barron but two better than the winning 72-hole total at Nudgee 12 months ago.

Fellow Brisbane natives Jake McLeod and Chris Wood share second with Andrew Campbell after rounds of 4-under 68 with Queensland amateur Lincoln Morgan, Sydney rookie Harrison Crowe and West Australian Ben Ferguson part of a six-way tie for fifth after posting 3-under 69.

Currently 16th on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit, Hart birdied his first three holes on Thursday. With the exception of the slip-up on 16, he used a potent combination of power, putts and patience to assume the Round 1 lead.

“It was nice to see the putts go in early, which puts you in a really good headspace and relaxes you more than anything,” said Hart, who holed putts from 20, six and 12 feet to be 3-under through three holes.

“I got to seven (under) through 15 and then made that double-bogey but to finish with a birdie and a good two-putt on the last made me feel a lot better.”

Tied for third at the Tailor-Made Building Services NT PGA Championship in August, Hart is seeing work he is doing away from golf transferring to results on the course.

A prolific winner of pro-ams who is still chasing his first PGA Tour of Australasia title, Hart has found a new perspective that is helping to bring out his best.

“It’s good to see results early in the season,” he added.

“It’s something that I haven’t really done in the past but seeing your name up the top or thereabouts is mentally good for me.

“For me, it’s honestly about staying in the present moment as much as I can because I have let external factors affect my golf and life. Now it’s all about keeping control of what I can inside.”

McLeod matched his opening round from 12 months ago thanks in part to some putting practice last week with good mate and 2021 champion, Anthony Quayle.

A superb up-and-down from the bunker on 18 kept McLeod within two as he seeks to recapture the form that saw him win the Order of Merit in 2018.

“He (Quayle) just noticed straight away that I was really bogged down over the ball,” McLeod said.

“Getting engaged out there at the hole rather than being really stuck over the ball and struggling to take it away. Just getting a bit more external with my thoughts and really seeing that ball drop into the hole.

“That sharpened up my speed a little bit and now I’m starting to make a couple which is good.”

After removing his shoes to play two shots out of the hazard on his way to a bogey at the par-4 first, Crowe closed with an eagle on 17 and birdie on 18 to join the logjam at 3-under.

In his first start as a professional, New Zealand’s Kazuma Kobori dropped a shot on 16 to post 2-under 70, matching reigning Order of Merit champion David Micheluzzi to be tied for 11th.

In his first start back since being diagnosed with Leukaemia, Kiwi Michael Hendry dropped five shots in his final five holes to sign for a 77, three shots outside the projected cut-line.

Round 1 scores

Round 2 draw

Photo: Kirsty Wrice/PGA of Australia