John Senden grabs clubhouse lead at Aussie Open - The Australian

John Senden plays a shot during the first round of the 2012 Australian Open at The Lakes Golf Club in Sydney. Picture:Getty Images) Source: Getty Images

FORMER champion John Senden is the clubhouse leader at the Australian Open after opening his tournament with an eight-birdie barrage at The Lakes in Sydney.

Senden, starting at the 10th, played his opening nine holes in five under before stumbling on the front nine with successive bogeys at the 2nd and 3rd.

He made two birdies in his final three holes to finish his opening round with a 66 to hold a two-shot lead over Australian Kim Felton, Englishman Justin Rose and New Zealander Gareth Paddison at the halfway mark of the opening day.

Senden, who won the Open in 2006 at Royal Sydney, took advantage of benign conditions on the first morning of the Open but the wind was rising as the day progressed signalling tougher conditions for the afternoon groups, who include eight-times major winner Tom Watson, defending champion Greg Chalmers and 14-year-old Asian Amateur champion Guan Tianlang.

Those who prospered in the morning included Stephen Allan (three under), Peter O'Malley (two under) and Stuart Appleby (two under) in an encouraging return to form.

Australia's top-ranked player Adam Scott had an up and down round which included three birdies and three bogeys to finish even with par (72) but has at least not played himself out of the tournament.

The task is harder for major winner Geoff Ogilvy, who won this title two years ago on the Sydney lay-out.

Ogilvy made a horror start with two double bogeys in his first eight holes but he stemmed the bleeding after the turn, making three birdies to keep his tournament hopes alive. He finished with a two-over 74.