Flanagan was the best of the Hunter contingent, sitting three shots behind the lead in a tie for fifth. He finished at 13 under, tied for 10^th at the Vic Open last week.

Charlestown's James Nitties, runner-up last year in the event, shot two-under on Thursday to be equal 16^th. Toronto's Callan O'Reilley was even par, while Dylan Perry and Andrew Dodt were two over.

World No.218 Miguel Tabuena produced the hottest of starts to take a share of the clubhouse lead.

Tabuena birdied nine of his first 10 holes on Thursday to open up a huge early lead, before the Filipino settled for a seven-under 65.

He was joined at the top of the leaderboard with Norway's Kristoffer Reitan, who posted eight birdies and a bogey. New Zealand's Benjamin Campbell is third at five-under. 

Rising star Min Woo Lee and fellow local Jason Scrivener settled for solid rounds of two-under.

Tournament favourite Thomas Pieters, who was battling illness on the eve of the tournament, also finished with a two-under 70.

US Open 2006 winner Geoff Ogilvy is one over after eight holes, while Victorian Lucas Herbert shot a disappointing two-over 74.

World No.55 Tom Lewis - the highest ranked player in the field - sits at one over after seven holes.

Indian SSP Chawrasia shot a strong four-under 68 to put himself into the mix.

But he could only watch on in awe as his playing partner Tabuena lit up the course early.

"Me and Terry Pilkadaris [were] both looking at each other," Chawrasia said.

"Every hole he make birdie, birdie, birdie, the first six or seven holes.

"So you know, nine-under after 10 holes - I've never seen before."

The first three rounds of the tournament are traditional stroke play.

The top 24 players then qualify for the last round match-play, which consists of a series of elimination six-hole shootouts.

If a shootout is tied at the end of six holes, a 90-metre hole will decide the winner of that duel.