AUSTRALIAN Wayne Smith and New Zealand's Greg Turner overshadowed Greg Norman and John Daly to share the first round lead in the Heineken Classic in Perth yesterday.

Smith took a significant step towards making it third time lucky at the Vines course by firing a six under par 66 in fierce heat. He carded seven birdies and one bogey in his morning round, a feat matched by Turner later as temperatures soared to 35 degrees Celsius.

Dubliner Paul McGinley, following his joint 14th place finish in last week's Johnnie Walker Classic in Signapore, had a satisfying opening round when he ended the day with a three under par 69. He was the leading Irishman after Raymond Burns shot a level par 72, Darren Clarke a 73 and Ronan Rafferty a two over par 74.

Norman struggled with his putting stroke as he laboured to a one over 73 while Daly ignored the temptation to unleash his driver on his way to a composed 71.

Meanwhile, poor putting and some erratic iron play foiled the two man Irish contingent in the first round of the Nashua Wild Coast Sun Challenge in South Africa yesterday. Cork's John McHenry experienced another trying day on his way to a one over par 71, while Waterville's David Higgins struggled with the putter for a 73.

McHenry was out in 34 with" birdies at the third and the fifth, but he dropped a shot at the part five seventh, after plugging in the face of a bunker. He then suffered an up and down back nine of 37. It included three birdies, a double, bogey at the 13th, after findings the hazard, and three more" dropped shots.

Higgins, who has been playing solidly from tee to green over the past fortnight, completed loops of 36 and 37 yesterday with two birdies and five dropped shots.