Australian Open: first round from Royal Sydney Golf Club

Perth amateur Curtis Luck is leading the Australian Open on the first morning after upstaging the favourite Jordan Spieth.

Jordan Spieth is favourite to land the Australian Open. Picture: Getty

Perth amateur Curtis Luck is leading the Australian Open on the first morning after shooting a five under 67 at the Royal Sydney course.

Luck, 20, shared the lead with Lucas Herbert, who also shot five under.

Luck teed off at the tenth hole with pre-tournament favourite Jordan Spieth and Geoff Ogilvy and proceeded to upstage the pros as they had predicted earlier in the week.

The world’s No.2 ranked amateur compiled a round of seven birdies and two bogeys.

He first hit the lead after 11 holes, when he moved to four under, but then bogeyed the next two holes, before recovering to put together a string of three birdies in the last four holes.

By contrast, young Victorian Herbert had a blemish-free round of five birdies, two on the front nine and three on the back.

He was the last man into the field by invitation last weekend after sending Golf Australia a series of tweets asking for a spot, and pointing out that Channel Seven was using him in the promo for the event.

Herbert said he had been determined not to waste the opportunity he had been given.

The 2014 Australian Open champion Spieth was solid but unspectacular as he put together a round of three under 69, while fellow major winner Ogilvy finished with two under 70.

Others playing well early included Adam Burdett (five under after 11 holes), Ryan Fox (four under) 68, Mathew Goggin (three under 69) and Jamie Arnold (69).

Australia’s leading hope Adam Scott will play his first round this afternoon.