WELLINGTON, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- Australian golfer Wools Cobb carded an eight-under-par 63 at Royal Wellington Golf Club to claim the first round lead in the ninth Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) here on Thursday.
The AAC debutant finished four shots ahead of his Japanese playing partner Sean Maruyama, Australian teammate Min Woo Lee, New Zealand's Nick Voke and Lloyd Jefferson Go of the Philippines.
"I had so much fun out there and it was pretty stress-free. I really enjoyed my day and hopefully I can do much the same in the last three rounds," said Cobb.
Starting with three successive birdies from hole 10, Cobb picked up another at 16 then flew ahead with an eagle at the par-five 18th to tie the championship record for low first nine.
"I holed some pretty good putts on the 10th and 11th and then hit it pretty close on 12, so that was a nice way to kick off the round," added Cobb, who flew under the radar as the fifth-ranked Australian in the field before his 63 equaled the second-lowest round in AAC history.
China's Zhang Huang Chuang and Lin Yuxin each carded 69 to share sixth place with New Zealand's Kerry Mountcastle, Chinese Taipei's Wang Wei Hsuan and Indonesia's Almay Rayhan Yagutah.
The AAC is organised by three Founding Partners - Asia Pacific Golf Confederation, the Masters Tournament and The R&A. The four-day event features 116 players from 38 APGC member associations. The championship rewards the winner with spots in the 2018 Masters Tournament and The 147th Open at Carnoustie.
