Playing together like it was a Thursday club competition in perfect conditions in the second group of the day, McKinney set the early pace to be 5-under through five holes.

Bogey-free for his opening round, Greer (pictured, left) saved his charge until late, holing a 30-foot eagle putt up the ridge on the final green for a round of 8-under 64, just one shy of equalling the Joondalup Country Club course record that dates back to the 2000 WA PGA Championship.

McKinney (pictured, right) is just one stroke further back after signing for a 7-under 65 with Queenslanders Jack Munro (66) and Lawry Flynn (66) the best of the interstate competitors.

With $175,000 in prizemoney and pathways to international tours on offer, Greer admitted that there was an expectation the pair would play well on their home course.

“Obviously everyone expects us to play good but we expect ourselves to play good when you know the course so well,” said Greer.

“Once you get out there, you’re a bit more relaxed but leading up to it you’re probably thinking that I should be doing well this week.”

McKinney’s expectations were even greater following his storming start.

He and Greer have both shot rounds of 11-under 61 in club competitions at Joondalup and when he reached 5-under after holing a wedge from 123 metres for eagle at the par-4 fifth, McKinney thought he might give that number a run for its money.

“When you’re 5-under after five and you’ve played this course a thousand times, you expect at least a 10,” said the 21-year-old rookie.

“I’m pretty used to doing it most weekends so I’d expect more of the same.

“It’s four rounds though, not one round, so it’s fine.”

Led by Munro and Flynn, the chasing pack know the two front-runners will take some catching.

After reaching 7-under through 13 holes, Flynn suffered a “gut punch” with a dropped shot at the par-5 eighth but believes he has seen enough to negate any home-ground advantage.

“For those guys, they’ve got a big advantage,” said Flynn, whose preparation consisted of marrying long-time partner Asha Hargreaves and a honeymoon in Queenstown.

“I was lucky enough to play a full practice round and then the pro-am so I got two good looks at it. I’m glad I did because there’s a lot going on with those greens.

“I’ve got enough of an idea now I think I can give it a crack against those boys.”

One-over through his first six holes in his first tournament at Joondalup, Munro’s round kicked into gear with a birdie at the 203-metre par-3 seventh.

It was the first of four straight birdies to put himself in contention for a maiden win on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, despite having spent the past few months hosting clients of a betting company at Brisbane racecourses.

Further hampering Munro’s preparation was a cancelled flight en route and an unscheduled night in Adelaide that meant he only arrived in Perth late Tuesday night.

“I said to Kade (McBride) a couple of times, someone who knows this course will do well,” Munro said post-round.

“There are sections that you’ve got to hit it in. If you hit it in the wrong spot, you can be miles away.

“They’ve got a good head start but you’ve still got to play well.”

Making his first start since turning professional last month, it was a round to remember too for New South Welshman Harrison Crowe.

Crowe is one of 14 players in a tie for 16th at 3-under par but was the only one to snare a hole-in-one in Round 1, the first of his career courtesy of a 7-iron at the 169-metre par-3 17th.

“I’ve had one or two in practice but nothing in tournaments so that was the first one,” said Crowe, who joins Tiger Woods (1996 Greater Milwaukee Open) in recording a hole-in-one in their first tournament as a professional.

“I saw it the whole way. It was a little bit of an awkward distance so it wasn’t quite enough for a 7 (iron). I had to hit a little trap-draw and chase it up to the pin and it did exactly that.

“It landed probably 12 feet short, skipped up and everyone was going, ‘This has got to go in, this has got to go in’. When it went in I just started laughing.

“There was plenty of good golf out there. I definitely missed out on some opportunities around the greens but first tournament as a professional, I’m not too disheartened.

“It’s a great score, I played well and there’s plenty to build on.”

Kiwi Tyler Wood had two eagles in his round of 5-under 67 to be tied with Simon Hawkes, Aaron Pike and Rockingham Golf Club Professional Joshua Herrero, three strokes off the lead.

The final two rounds of the WA Open will be broadcast live on Fox Sports, available on Foxtel and Kayo. Coverage starts at 4.30pm AEDT Saturday and 2.30pm AEDT Sunday.

Round 1 scores

Round 2 draw

Photo: Monica Marchesani/PGA of Australia