Lamb, 23, went head-to-head with Cameron Smith and Lucas Herbert at Murray Downs a few weeks ago, with Herbert coming out on top. He finished equal runner-up, assumed a certain cult hero status, and the experience has been emboldening for him.

“I’ve taken a lot out of it. It’s definitely helping me play how I’m playing,” he said today after nailing seven birdies in a bogey-free round, and sprinting home through the back nine in 30 in perfect conditions for round one on the Mornington Peninsula.

The Hunter Valley product leads by a shot from a cluster of players at 6-under – Queenslanders Dylan Gardner and Cory Crawford, Victorian Connor McDade and New South Welshman Jason Hong and Western Australian Josh Greer, who all played the tougher Open course.

Tournament favourite David Micheluzzi opened with a 3-under 69 on the Open course and is well placed moving to the Legends on Friday. Another of the marquee group, Jack Buchanan, struggled to a 76.

But it was Lamb’s day. “It was weird, I hit it really close on probably the first seven holes and only holed two of the putts,” he said. “I got a bit cranky there, but then everything started going in.”

Moonah Links is familiar to him having graduated from Q School here a couple of years ago, and he knows that all players need to capitalize when they get their run at the slightly easier Legends course. Exactly as he did today. “I hit the ball so good, on any course today, I think I would have played really well.”

A former NSW and Queensland Amateur champion and an Australian All Schools champion, he has largely struggled to make an impact as a pro until this year, with his good result at Murray Downs and a T2 at the Webex Players Series SA.

Prior to this week he was seventh on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit; effectively he is fifth because Marc Leishman and Lucas Herbert have not hit the required number of four tournaments played, and they are ahead of him. The top three at the end of the season in March will pick up DP World Tour playing rights, and it is on his radar.

“I haven’t played too good the first couple of seasons,” he said. “This year I’m finding out what works for me leading up. I’m looking at that (Order of Merit). That’s for sure.”

Lamb also leads the Victorian Amateur Challenge teams event with playing partner Andrew Colliver after they posted a net 58.

Micheluzzi was off the pace until he conjured a barnstorming finish, chipping in for birdie at 17 and then wedging up close for another birdie at 18. It is his 14^th tournament in the past 17 weeks, but he is hanging tough. “I should be more tired than I am but once it’s ‘clubs up’ I think I’m going to be done for a few weeks,” he said.

The player with the biggest regrets would have been WA’s Jordan Doull, whose opening even-par 71 on the Legends was remarkable. Doull was 9-under through 11 holes and in the mix for something sub-60. He then gave all those shots back in the last seven holes including a quadruple bogey at the par-4 15th hole.

PHOTO: Corey Lamb drives at 18 on his way to 64 at Moonah Links today. Image: Kirsty Wrice