INCHEON, South Korea -- Australia's Cameron Davis shot a 7-under 65 on Thursday to take the first-round lead in the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, with the winner Sunday getting a spot in the Masters next year at Augusta National.
The 21-year-old Davis, second behind China's Jin Cheng last year in the rain-shortened tournament in Hong Kong, had eight birdies and a bogey at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club. Two weeks ago in Mexico, Davis led Australia to the World Amateur Team Championship and won the individual title.
"It was nice to play some really good golf and keep some form going," Davis said. "I was just trying to enjoy the round, the scenery and the golf course because the more pressure you put on yourself in an event like this, the harder it is to perform and concentrate."
Davis birdied four of the first six holes in the round that started on No. 10, bogeyed the par-4 second and had four straight birdies on Nos. 5-8. He birdied three of the four par-3s.
Australia's Brett Coletta and Japan's Yuwa Kosaihira were two strokes back at 67 in the event conducted by the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation, the Masters Tournament and The R&A.
Thailand's K.K. Limbhasut and Japan's Junya Kameshiro shot 68, and New Zealand's Nicholas Coxon had a 69.
Curtis Luck, the Australian who wrapped up a Masters invitation with his U.S. Amateur victory, opened with a 70. He was second last week in Mexico.
The winner also will get a spot in the British Amateur and a place in final stage of The Open qualifying.
