Auckland local Sung Jin Yeo has sent shockwaves through the New Zealand PGA Championship with a front nine of eight-under 28 at Gulf Harbour Country Club.
Gorgeous conditions welcomed players to day one of the championship and a number of players took early advantage.
None more so than Yeo, however, who had six birdies and an eagle at the par-5 sixth book-ended by pars at one and nine.
The New Zealand Under-19 champion in 2018, Yeo has limited experience on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia and with very little success.
In nine starts on the main tour he is yet to progress to the weekend but had consecutive top-15 finishes at the Murray Open and the Dubbo Open on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series in February 2021.
Hailing from North Shore Golf Club 30 minutes to the south of Gulf Harbour, Yeo has given indicators that his best golf was not far off, qualifying for the semi-finals of the Brian Green Property Group NZ Super 6s on the Charles Tour two weeks ago.
Yeo is not the only player going low on day one.
Brisbane veteran Michael Wright is bogey-free and six-under through 15 holes of his opening round, one stroke clear of Kiwi amateurs Sam Jones (through 15) and Joshua Bai (through 12).