Australians dominated the opening round of the Fiji International with Andrew Dodt, Nick Cullen, Jarryd Felton as well as New Zealander Ben Campbell all sharing a two-shot lead.
Players needed to contend with gusty conditions all day at the Natadola Bay Golf Club with the Australian contingent of Dodt, Cullen and Felton carding a five-under 67 in the morning to take the clubhouse lead before Campbell matched it in even tougher conditions in the afternoon.
Only 18 players managed to return to the clubhouse having gone under-par. Among them were Australians Maverick Antcliff, Matthew Griffin and Stephen Leaney who all sit on three-under and India's Gaganjeet Bhullar who lies a shot further back having carded a two-under round of 70.
However, four-time major winner Ernie Els quickly cancelled out four birdies with four bogeys to leave him level par for the day.