Nineteen Australians are contesting four tournaments across Spain, all with the hope of playing their way into the 156-man field for Final Stage starting November 11.

Felton and Hopewell have put themselves in the ideal position to secure one of those spots by ending Round 1 on top of their respective leaderboards.

A three-time winner on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia, Felton’s seven-under 64 was the best of the opening round at Emporda Golf, two shots clear of German Philipp Mejow, England’s Harry Goddard and Gary Hurley of Ireland.

Tied third at the CKB WA PGA Championship last month, Felton was bogey-free in Round 1, finishing off in style with birdie at three of his final four holes.

Fellow Aussies Blake Collyer, John Lyras and Daniel Gale are in a share of 50th after rounds of two-over 73, James Marchesani (74) is tied for 63rd and Tom Power Horan (75) 67th.

Having come straight from the Asia-Pacific Amateur in Thailand where he was tied 44th, it was a bright start too for Hopewell.

Still a member of the amateur ranks, Hopewell was one of four players to post seven-under 65 in Round 1 at Desert Springs Golf Club in Almeria.

The 20-year-old had two birdies and a bogey in his opening three holes before making an impression on the leaderboard around the turn.

From the eighth hole the 2020 WA Open champion recorded five birdies in the next six holes to hold a share of the lead heading into day two.

It was a sold start too for 2021 WA Open champ Braden Becker who is tied for 38th after a round of 70 with South Australian Jack Thompson (71) a shot further back in a tie for 44th.

This year’s WA Open winner Deyen Lawson had an eagle and a triple bogey in his round of two-over 74, level with South Australian Lachlan Barker and tied for 62nd.

A bogey-free four-under 67 has Kyle Michel in a share of fifth at Las Colinas Golf and Country Club and just two strokes from the lead.

Michel was one of the seven Aussies who advanced from First Stage held at Rosebud Country Club and has made a good fist of the opportunity through one round.

Jordan Zunic’s two-under 69 for a share of 16th consisted of birdies at one and 16 and 16 pars with reigning Australian Amateur champion Connor McKinney in a tie for 48th after a round of one-over 72.

Two of last year’s tournament winners – WA PGA champ Jay Mackenzie and NT PGA victor Austin Bautista – have ground to make up after rounds of 75 and 76 respectively.

Another of the Rosebud graduates, Linus Yip, is the best of the Aussies at Isla Canela Links.

On a day of low scores, Yip’s five-under 67 puts him in a tie for 13th with Elvis Smylie (71, T50) and Nathan Barbieri (74, 69th) further down the leaderboard.

Elsewhere, Brendan Jones, Todd Sinnott and Kevin Yuan all find themselves inside the top 10 on the Japan Golf Tour and Asian Tour respectively.

Seeking a second win at the Mynavi ABC Championship two decades after his first, Jones opened with a round of four-under 68 to be three strokes off the lead in a tie for seventh.

Sinnott is also in a share of seventh after Round 1 of the International Series Morocco at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam.

Even par through 12 holes, Sinnott came home with a flurry of three birdies for a round of three-under 70 and a share of seventh, level with Yuan who had four birdies and a lone bogey in his 70.

Three dropped shots late in his round took away somewhat from Scott Hend’s 71 on day one as Wade Ormsby made two late birdies to post even-par 73.

At the LPGA Tour TOTO Japan Classic in Japan, the Aussie pair of Minjee Lee and Stephanie Kyriacou are both seven strokes off the lead following even-par rounds of 72.

Seeking to wrap up the Aon Risk Reward Challenge, Lee made bogey at the par-5 13th as her nearest challenger, world No.1 Atthaya Thitikul, made birdie to narrow the gap.