Robert Allenby leads with opening 67 - MasterCard Masters 2007

Allenby, who won the title in 2003 and 2005, carded six birdies and a single bogey to finish the opening round a shot clear of England's Peter Baker and Swede Fredrik Andersson Hed, who shot rounds of 68.

Baker made a flying start, making five birdies between the second and ninth holes, but did not pick up a shot on the back nine, while Hed made an eagle at the first and birdied three of his last four holes.

A group of six players, including Australian Stuart Appleby, New Zealand's Michael Long and Sweden's Daniel Chopra, were tied in fourth place on three-under-par 69.

Allenby could not have made a better start, picking up shots on four of the first holes.

He dropped a shot on the way home but picked up another two to enter the clubhouse as the outright leader.

"I'm happy with the round, any time you five-under around here is normally pretty good," he told reporters.

"Obviously, it's fair to say I probably left five or six shots out there today.

"I got away to a good start, birdied the first three holes, and had several chances from then on. But I kind of lost the feel of the speed of the greens."

Former U.S. Open champion Michael Campbell of New Zealand started with a 71.

The Australian Masters is co-sanctioned by both the Australasian and European PGA Tours.