Australia's Brendan Jones ran in nine birdies, including four straight from No. 10, to grab the first-round lead in the 140 million yen Casio World Open golf tournament with an 8-under-par 64 Thursday.
Jones, the 1999 Australian amateur champion, had only one blemish on his scorecard at the Ibusuki Golf Club's Kaimon Course with a bogey on No. 15 as he grabbed a one-stroke advantage over Masashi Ozaki and Kiyoshi Murota.
Ozaki, still seeking his first win of the season, and Murota each went round the 7,105-yard, par-72 course bogey-free with seven birdies while Mamoru Osanai capped his 6-under 66 with an eagle on the 508-yard 18th for fourth place.
Spain's Sergio Garcia is five strokes off the pace with a 3-under 69 that included an eagle and four bogeys.
Veterans out in front
SADOWARA, Miyazaki Pref. (Kyodo) Tour veterans Kaori Higo and Michiko Hattori each shot 5-under-par 67s Thursday to put their names on top of the leaderboard after the first round of the Japan LPGA Tour Championship golf tournament.
Higo, aiming for her third title on the circuit this season, carded six birdies against a lone bogey while Hattori, who has not won since the Suntory Ladies Open in June, birdied five in a bogey-free round at the Hibiscus Golf Club.
Meanwhile, Mineko Nasu -- winless yet in her six-year career -- surprised the gallery of 756 by scoring an eagle on the final hole after three birdies and a bogey in the front nine for a 4-under 68 and third place all by herself.