Australia's Scott Strange recorded three birdies in the final four holes to move into a one-shot lead after the first round of the New Zealand Open in Auckland.
After a day of torrential rain and driving wind at the Gulf Harbour Country Club course, Strange made the most of calmer conditions late in the day to complete a four-under-par round of 67.
He leads from a group of three fellow Australians -Greg Chalmers, Jarrod Moseley and Kim Felton - while England's Nick Dougherty, Lee James and Simon Wakefield, and Australian Craig Parry are among a group of nine players with two-under 69s.
Ireland's Damien McGrane is well placed on one-under par, with compatriot Peter Lawrie two shots further back.
'We got a bit lucky (with the weather) I think,' said the 29-year-old Strange, who won the Philippines Open earlier in the year.
'I had a birdie chance on 17 and had one on 18 and I knocked them in. When I had a realistic birdie chance, I holed the putt,' said Strange, whose sole bogey of the day came at the par-four 16th amid his birdie blitz at the end of his round
Michael Campbell, the 2005 US Open champion playing on home soil for the first time since his major breakthrough at Pinehurst last year, finished with an even-par 71 after battling through the worst of the weather.
'I'm pretty excited about the next three days because I know I am due for a win,' said Campbell, who missed the cut at last week's Australian Masters in Melbourne.
