Munro posted 9-under 63 around the St John Course on Friday as Elvis Smylie stared down his closest chaser for the Challenger PGA Tour of Order of Merit title, Ryan Peake, firing a 4-under 68 to Peake’s 74, and took one step closer to wrapping up the season-long title.

Munro leads by two after day one over fellow Queenslander Douglas Klein, who opened with a 7-under 65 and nine birdies in the afternoon wave, including twos on three of the four short holes.

The low scores continued down the leaderboard, with six players tied third at 6-under, including South Australia’s Lachlan Barker and two more Queenslanders in Dylan Gardner and Louis Dobbelaar, the 2023 NZ PGA champion rediscovering form after a tough season to-date.

Smylie’s 68 has him in a share of 13^th at 4-under, while Peake has some catching up to do, after beginning his day with two balls in the water and a quadruple-bogey eight on the 10th hole.

Munro was able to get back into the safety of The Heritage clubhouse before the worst of the wind rolled through the property, although he admits that the inclement weather may have aided him on his way to the lead.

“I probably play better in the wind,” he said, still glad to be out of the rain rolling in.

“I just sort of got on a roll on the back nine there.

“I played the first nine fine, but then I think I went 3-2-3 to start the back nine.”

Munro made the turn in 2-under, but that hot start on the Jack Nicklaus-designed layout’s back nine suddenly had him 6-under through 12 and joining Gardner at the top of the leaderboard, before making further birdies at 13 and 15.

As the wind strengthened, Munro and his group turned back toward The Heritage clubhouse to play the closing three-holes into the strong breeze.

On the long par-4 16th, Munro was able to steal yet another birdie, before holding his nerve for two closing pars to sign for a cool 9-under 63.

“I hit a nice tee shot there. It’s playing really long and so is 18 actually,” Munro said of the 16th.

“A good second shot in there under the wind and holed a nice one from about 15 foot.

“It’s just nice to just shoot a good score early and we’ll take it as it comes the next couple of days.”

While Dobbelaar’s 66 isn’t enough for the Round 1 lead, many will be delighted to see the Queenslander back in contention on Tour.

The former star amateur broke through for his maiden win two years ago but has made just seven cuts this season, revealing the struggle he has endured since his NZ PGA triumph.

“I’ve done a lot of work in the past couple years it’s felt like, but I feel like lately I’ve actually kind of put my finger on a couple things,” Dobbelaar said after his round.

“Been doing some work with a new coach that’s been helping, and I’m responding well to some of that work.

“I’m just enjoying golf again, really. That’s probably the most important part.

“Conditions were a little bit tricky today, but I feel like I controlled my ball pretty well in the wind.

“That was essential today and held some nice putts. It was a nice solid round.”