With the men’s competition incorporating new tees at the third and fifth holes Pike’s morning round of six-under 65 sets a new course record and provides a one-shot buffer as the afternoon groups make their moves.

Japan Golf Tour regular Dylan Perry (66) shares second spot with rookie professional Louis Dobbelaar (through six holes) at five-under with reigning PGA Tour of Australasia Player of the Year Brad Kennedy a further shot back in outright fourth.

World No.49 and headline act this week Min Woo Lee made a steady start to be three shots back after a round of 68 but it is Pike who led the field out early on a course he knows as well as anyone.

Winner of the 2020 NT PGA Championship at a golf course that backs onto his childhood home, Pike moved to Brisbane as a teenager and has logged countless rounds at RQ.

You still have to execute the shots to score well but the two-time PGA Tour of Australasia winner admits it is an advantage to be in such a lofty spot on the leaderboard at a course he knows so well.

“It’s something that we have to just get used to,” Pike said of setting the early pace.

“You want to be winning these. You want to be at the top of the tree and you want the camera on you.

“You want the interviews, you want all these kind of things.

“Being comfortable being uncomfortable is something that I’ve had to basically just get over and learn to do it.

“It’s something that sort of comes pretty easy, but as I said, I’m playing a golf course I know pretty well.

“Obviously being a Brisbane boy, I’m pretty fortunate to get to play out here a bit and in terms of golf courses, this is one that really does suit my game.

“It’s quite open off the tee and you’ve got to be a bit more precise with your irons and putting’s a real premium around here, so those factors, it does bode well for me.”

Pike had a total of seven birdies and just the one bogey at the par-3 11th, his sharp wedge game and par saves at crucial times ensuring he didn’t lose momentum throughout his round.

Playing his first event since the DP World Tour Championship in early December, Lee understood his first round might come with a shade of rust but was pleased to post three-under and well within reach of Pike.

“It was a little scrappy I guess on a couple of the holes, but expected first tournament back in a few weeks,” said Lee, who had five birdies and two bogeys on day one.

“I could have made a few more birdies, but it is what it is.

“There’s a bit of grain on the greens and it got pretty windy out there, so that’s expected.”

Kennedy was somewhat surprised to finish his first round just two off the lead, the two-time New Zealand Open winner launching up the leaderboard courtesy of an eagle at the short par-4 12th, hitting his tee shot to eight feet and draining the putt.

A regular contender in PGA Tour of Australasia events the past 10 years, the 47-year-old says the key to good scores will be managing the risks that Royal Queensland presents with the lure of a rich reward.

“You’ve just got to be careful,” conceded Kennedy, who was headed straight for the range following his round.

“There’s quite a few mid to long-iron par 4s that are playing downwind today, but if the breeze switches it’s going to be different.

“I’m surprised that the scoring’s probably not a bit lower this morning. Definitely scores were out there. The par 5s were gettable.

“The key to playing this course is really to manage your iron play and be able to shape into the flags, which I wasn’t quite able to do today.

“Definitely happy with four-under, but I’ve got a lot of work to do.”

The reigning Australian Amateur champion, Dobbelaar is far and away the pick of the afternoon players early in their rounds, three clear of the next best shared by 2020 Australian Amateur champion at Royal Queensland Jed Morgan, Jake Higginbottom, Maverick Antcliff, Cory Crawford, Todd Sinnott, Andrew Martin and Tim Hart all at two-under.

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