Amateur Aaron Pike, who only took up golf seriously five years ago, upstaged his professional rivals in the Australian Masters at Huntingdale today by equalling the course record to lead after the first round.

The 21-year-old Australian, who at age 15 had a handicap of a modest 15 and had his heart set on a career in cricket, fired an eagle and six birdies for a flawless eight-under-par 64 to lead by one from compatriot Peter Wilson and England's Nick
 Dougherty.
   
Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin was fourth after a six-under 66, two clear of a group of five Australians, including former champions Craig Parry and Peter Lonard, and Spaniard Carl Suneson.
   
Pike, a promising opening batsman and leg-spinner before his switch, opened his round in the best possible style with an eagle at the par five 10th, his first, before finishing with four birdies sealed with a racing putt from 22 feet at the ninth.
   
"I got off to a really good start and just kept it going all day," said Pike. "When I came into this week I had been playing really well, hitting the ball consistently but my putting was not great.
   
"But when I got here and saw the greens I liked them and I was confident I would putt well here," said Pike, who ranked his victory at the 2005 Queensland amateur championship as his career highlight.

England's Dougherty had held the early clubhouse lead with his seven-under 65, the 24-year-old mixing nine birdies with two bogeys in blustery conditions in Melbourne's southern suburbs.
   
Dougherty, whose 2005 Singapore Masters win remains his only European Tour success, made a blistering start with four birdies in his opening five holes after teeing off at the 10th.
   
"I tensed up a little round the stretch but all in all I played some quality shots," said Dougherty. "I had a great start, made a poor par at the 10th and then hit it stone dead four holes in a row."

Last week's Australian Open winner John Senden fired an opening 69, alongside defending champion Robert Allenby and England's Justin Rose, who got to within two shots of the lead before a bogey-bogey-bogey finish.
   
England's Paul Casey failed to fire with the putter and carded a one-under 71 while Australian Stuart Appleby, an eight-times a winner on the PGA Tour, hit five bogeys and a double bogey in a disappointing 75.
   
New Zealand's Michael Campbell, the 2005 US Open champion and 2000 winner at Huntingdale, had two bogeys and a double bogey in his first-round 74 to lie ten shots off the pace.

Gary Murphy was best-placed of the Irish, albeit in a lowly tie for 63rd on two over after his opening 74. Damien McGrane was two shots further back on four over while Peter Lawrie shot 77.