RELATED STORIES Round 4: Nick O'Hern wins in playoff Round 3: Lonard & O'Hern move clear of field Round 2: Peter Lonard takes lead with 65 Round 1: Nitties takes honours with opening 64 GOLF TODAY TOP STORIES Paul Azinger names US wildcards Faldo chooses Casey and Poulter Havret gains wire to wire Gleneagles win Sluman clinches First Tee Open with closing 67 Fallout continues over LPGA "English" rule Poulter chooses high risk Ryder Cup strategy GREAT GIFTS FOR GOLFERS Golf Breaks to Portugal & Ireland Half Price Golf Vouchers InstructaCard - your portable pro! The Father & Son Golf Ch'ship Golf Insurance

James Nitties takes honours with opening 64

Australia's James Nitties shot an 8-under 64 Thursday to lead the Australian PGA Championship by one stroke over New Zealand's Brad Iles after the first round at the Hyatt Regency course.

Nick O'Hern was tied with Stuart Appleby and Peter O'Malley another stroke back, while Rod Pampling and American Eric Egloff were among seven players in a share of seventh place at 5-under.

U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy opened with a 68 and was at 4-under with two-time champion Peter Lonard, while defending titlist Robert Allenby recovered from a bad start for a 70.

Nitties, runner-up to Lonard here in 2004, had nine birdies, eight pars and a bogey in his opening round.

Adam Scott, ranked fourth in the world, had a 72 and believes he can make a charge in the second round if he adjusts to the greens in subtropical conditions at Coolum.

"There is a bit of a knack to reading them, you've got to get the grain right," Scott said. "I certainly was fooled a little bit today. I over read a lot of putts, so I have to get my eye in quick tomorrow and get up that leaderboard."