“I think this is what, our seventh event in the space of nine weeks, so yeah, just being comfortable in the situation. I think everything today just felt good.

“I actually wanted to keep playing, so I reckon I could have made a whole lot more birdies.”

While Micheluzzi said he was more than familiar with Kingston Heath, he said he will have no trouble finding his way around Victoria on Friday.

“I know that course better,” he said.

“I’ve just got to do the same thing. Just plod it around. I made putts today, that’s why I shot seven [under]. I also hit it pretty good, but just hit it good tomorrow, shoot a decent score and then obviously come into the weekend and hopefully fighting with Cam and all the big boys. It’ll be fun.”

Meanwhile, Hannah Green put herself into contention on day one, but closed with three bogeys on her final six holes to finish her opening round at five-under par.

The world No.18 teed off the 10th at Kingston Heath at 7am and had six birdies through her first 10 holes without a blemish, but had bogeys on the fourth, sixth and eighth holes to cough up top spot on the leaderboard.

But a birdie on her final hole got her back within two of Grace Kim (-7), who was two groups behind Green. Kim started even hotter than Green, with five birdies through her first five holes, and despite dropping a shot on the 15th, she finished with a consistent front nine to lead by two shots after the morning wave.

South Korea’s Jiyai Shin, in the same group as Green, also finished alongside Green at five-under.

Tournament favourite Minjee Lee teed off in the afternoon and was two-under through 12, tied for ninth, while in the men’s draw, Adam Scott finished with a one-under 71 at Kingston Heath on Thursday morning.

MORE TO COME