Returning to the City of Logan for the fifth time, only three of the 90 Associates from across the country broke par on day one, Wright and Murwillumbah Golf Club’s Riley Taylor both posting rounds of 2-under 71.

Maroochy River Golf Club’s Andrew Johnston defied the tricky conditions to turn in 5-under but stumbled on the back nine, the third player to go under par with a round of 1-under 72.

The NSW/ACT PGA Associate champion at Tura Beach, Wright is amassing one of the most impressive seasons by a first year Associate in the program’s history.

He boasts nine wins already this year and had three birdies and a lone bogey to start his quest for the Queensland title.

“I felt like I didn’t really have it early and grinded well, made a couple of good up-and-downs,” said Wright.

“I had a couple of soft bogeys but then I started to work things out and it was pretty good for the rest of the round.”

Although many of the field have prior knowledge of the twisting Windaroo Lakes layout, Wright found the right formula in his first start in the championship.

“You’ve just got to find fairways and hit greens in the right areas,” he added.

“You can’t just go blasting away at the green, you’ve got to find the right areas and leave yourself some good putts because the greens are pretty tricky and they’re fast as well.”

He has something of a surprise for company at the top of the leaderboard in Taylor.

Currently in the process of moving back to his home-town of Casino, Taylor has also had recent surgery, making practice something of a luxury.

“Since the Pampling Plate I haven’t really touched a club,” said Taylor, who had five birdies and three bogeys in his round on Monday.

“I’ve done the bare necessities in terms of practice but I’ve had a few things going on in my personal life.

“I haven’t really done much practice, just little drills here and there.

“Having played here last year I knew that I couldn’t go above the hole today so I played short of the hole and uphill putts for most of the day.”

Johnston had four birdies in succession from the sixth hole to burst clear of the pack, admitting that the putts didn’t fall like they did on the front.

“It just clicked. All the numbers were just the right numbers and all the putts just rolled in,” Johnston said of his front-nine charge.

“Turned front nine in 5-under and then the back nine tightened up a bit. Left a couple of putts short and didn’t have that luck that I had on the front nine.

Round 2 will begin at 7am Tuesday morning.

Round 1 scores

Round 2 draw