Defending champion Brett Rumford made a blistering start as the opening round of the ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth got under way on Thursday.
The Perth native dominated proceedings in the inaugural event in 2017, leading for all three days of stroke play before taking the title after the Super 6 match play format on Sunday.
And he was threatening to do so again at Lake Karrinyup Country Club as he turned in 29 from the tenth to get to seven under and lead by three shots from Lee Westwood and Zander Lombard.
Rumford made just two pars in his first nine holes with birdies on the tenth, 11th, 12th, 14th, 15th, 17th and 18th.
Playing partner Westwood was doing his best to keep pace and the Englishman made an eagle on the 15th to go with birdies on the 11th and 12th.
Lombard also started on the tenth and he made the second albatross of the season in his first seven holes.
The South African birdied the tenth and 12th and, after dropping a shot on the 14th, holed a two iron from 210 yards with his second shot on the par five next.
England's Richard McEvoy was then at three under through ten holes with birdies on the third, ninth and tenth, one clear of a group of 13 players.
