Bowditch leads after opening 64

Australian Steven Bowditch collected 10 birdies in a round of eight-under-par 64 to snatch the lead after the opening day of the New Zealand Open at the Gulf Harbour Resort course near Auckland on Thursday.

Bowditch made five birdies on the front nine and another on the back but spoiled his round with two bogeys on a perfect day for low scoring when three-quarters of the 156 starters broke par.

Five players, Briton Alastair Forsyth, Australian Simon Nash and the Swedish trio of Chris Hanell, Niclas Fasth and Joakim Haeggman, finished the day a shot off the pace after rounds of 65.

A further eight players were tied at six-under par with another 11 at five-under par.

Bowditch, 21, made a flying start to his round, collecting five early birdies to go out in 31. He made another five on the back nine but bogeys at the 14th and 18th dropped him back to eight under.

Bowditch almost quit golf 12 months ago after becoming increasingly frustrated with his game. He didn't play for eight weeks until friends persuaded him to try again.

"I was having a tough time of it at this time last year. I just didn't feel like playing golf," Bowditch told reporters on Thursday.

"It all started to come together again late last year and now I'm just wanting to keep the ball rolling and see where it takes me.

Haeggman briefly joined Bowditch at the top of the leaderboard with his eighth birdie at the 17th but overhit his approach to the last into a corporate tent to ruin an otherwise flawless round.

"I put the ball in a no-no place," Haeggman said.

"I didn't make a good chip either but it's almost impossible to get up and down from behind these greens."

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