Golf: Trio go low to lead after opening round at NZ Open

American Jarin Todd was standing tall after shooting nine-under par 62 at Millbrook Resort. Photo: photosport.nz

Australian Daniel Nisbet, American Jarin Todd and Japan's Tatsuya Kodai shot opening rounds of nine-under par to share the lead at the New Zealand Golf Open in Arrowtown.

A touch of drizzle but minimal wind saw the trio strike stable conditions. A sum of 118 players went under par in the 144-strong field.

Todd shot 62 on the par-71 Millbrook Resort course; Nisbet and Kodai finished with 63s on The Hills which is par-72.

The best of the New Zealanders was Harry Bateman who finished with a seven-under par 64 at Millbrook.

Todd came to the event after picking up one of the flyers handed out by tournament director Michael Glading in Indonesia.

"I think he was slipping them under people's doors. The pictures looked awesome, so I decided if I could get in I'd come.

The 31-year-old made the most of his circumstances.

"It was ideal scoring; the fairways were running a bit but not too much, and the greens were holding. If you hit good shots you were rewarded."

Nisbet was chuffed with his effort on the 167m par-3 16th, a hole he described as his "nemesis".

"I hit it within two inches. It was nice to walk off with a two instead of a lot more than I usually do.

"It's a pretty tight green, but no wind made it a foreign hole."

The 27-year-old felt relaxed, courtesy of his pro-am playing partners.

"They were a couple of guys from Texas, Ed and Joe. They were a lot of fun, especially after drinking Bloody Marys before tee off.

"I gave them a few tips, but there wasn't much coming the other way," he quipped.

Bateman knew his day could only get better after sinking balls in the water on the 10th and 18th [his first and ninth holes] but he was helped by an eagle on the 17th.

"I had 240m to the hole over water with a 3-wood. I've never gone for that green in two, but I hit it to 2-feet then caught fire to come home in 29."

Did he feel the roar of the crowd up the fairway?

"Um, basically it was just my family making as much noise as they could."

New Zealand No.1 Ryan Fox finished with an opening round of two-under par 70 at The Hills, as did defending champion Michael Hendry playing in the group ahead of him.

The top 60 plus ties will advance to the final two rounds at Millbrook.

An early highlight came on the 150m par-3 10th at The Hills.

Pro-am competitor Shoukun Yamashita hit a hole-in-one with a rescue club from his first shot of the day.

Tournament chairman John Hart said the first amateur to get an ace would get free entry next year, guaranteeing Yamashita a prize valued in the vicinity of $10,000.