Robert Allenby leads with opening 63

Australia's Robert Allenby, whose inflamed right hand prevented him from holding a golf club four days ago, shot a course-record nine-under par 63 to take the first round lead of the Australian Open on Thursday.

Allenby made his 10th birdie on the final hole on the Peter Thomson-designed par-72 course at Moonah Links on Thursday to break the record that had been set by Spencer Levin of the United States earlier in the day.

The 21-year-old rookie Levin was second on 64 after he mixed a round of six birdies and an eagle three at the par-five 491-metre fifth with 11 pars to set the course record and take the clubhouse lead before Allenby stormed home.

Scott Laycock was alone in third on seven under while world number eight Adam Scott was tied for fourth with Geoff Ogilvy on six-under par.

"I was happy to get out there. I got off the plane on Monday and thought I was not playing," Allenby told reporters on Thursday. "I could not even hold a golf club in my right hand.

"I thought I would test it in the pro-am and see how it goes. I played all right and shot a few under."

Allenby said he had been having physiotherapy on the hand, though he was still wary of certain shots.

"I am a bit tentative with a short iron in my hand, purely for the fact that I take a fairly large divot when I hit a short iron. I am a little scared sometimes when I have a sand iron or a pitching wedge.

"So far, so good. I'll keep testing it out there. The tendon is really tight and I've got to keep stretching it.

"I could do just one thing wrong and I would be out, walking back to the clubhouse."

The 1994 champion said the key to his round had been that he had putted better than he had in "10 years, probably 15.

"I putted great, I made a lot of putts. I just picked the line and hit it on every line that I chose and they all seemed to go in," he said.

Allenby said he had been told his tendons were probably tight from overuse and he planned to take a break for up to two months after the Austalian Masters in December.

Champion Peter Lonard, seeking a third successive Australian Open title, shot a two-over par 74, alongside Australia's former ATP tour tennis player Scott Draper.

Australia's Nathan Green, who made a hole-in-one at the par-three fifth, finished on two under.

Mark Hensby, who had caused a stir before the tournament began when he accused former world number one Greg Norman of not having done enough for Australian golf, was one under tied with seven others in 29th.

November 24, 2005

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