Lawson’s flawless eight-under 62 was the best of the morning groups by three at The Western Australian Golf Club, local hopes Jarryd Felton and amateur Josh Greer posting five-under 65s to share second.

Five-under through seven holes, Lawson converted from eight feet at the par-3 ninth to turn in six-under 29 at the par 70 layout.

He had chances at both 10 and 11 that burned the edge and when he found the green with his tee shot at the par-4 12th had a momentary mental lapse as he pondered the possibility of breaking 60.

“Only for a split second, and not for very long at all,” conceded Lawson, who two-putted from 15 feet for birdie to move to seven-under through 12 holes.

“There are so many thoughts that creep into your mind during a golf round.

“After I hit the tee shot on 12 I thought, I can hole that to go to eight-under with six holes to go. That’s three more birdies.

“I’ve been in that position before and it’s not good to think about.

“I thought about it for about half a second.”

Lawson’s birdies came at two, three, five, six, seven, nine, 12 and 17, almost holing out from eagle from 90 metres at his penultimate hole.

There was an opportunity to own the course record outright on the par-5 18th but he was unable to get up and down from the bunker to the left of the green, tapping in for par to put his name alongside Luck’s.

Felton hit what he called “the best shot of my life” to kick-start his round with an eagle at 12, one of four ‘twos’ on his card in a five-under 65.

Greer had seven birdies in his 65 with two-time club champion Haydn Barron and South Australian Lachlan Barker in a share of fifth at four-under 66.

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