After seven players – including comeback story of the year Jeffrey Guan – finished the morning wave tied together at 5-under par, it wasn’t until late Thursday afternoon that their 67s were surpassed.

A week out from his debut tournament as a member of the DP World Tour, Anthony Quayle was the first to post 6-under 66 but was superseded two groups later by Klein, who birdied both the 16th and 17th holes to shoot a bogey-free 8-under 64.

Redcliffe-raised and based out of the Redcliffe Golf Club just 15 minutes up the road, there is no more home game for Klein than a week at Nudgee, and he is taking full advantage of the comforts of home.

“There’s nothing like your own bed and Mum’s cooking, so no complaints,” said Klein, who played Wednesday's pro-am with Dolphins NRL stars Jamayne Isaako and Isaiya Katoa.

Tied for 10th at the NSW Open last week at The Vintage, Klein was first on the green to congratulate Wood after his victory on the fourth playoff hole, the pair then sharing the drive back to Brisbane on Monday.

“He is a good friend of mine, so hoping to follow in those footsteps,” said Klein, who has five top-five finishes on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia.

“I’m lucky enough to surround myself with some good players and you always pick up little pieces from each player.

“I thought he did a really good job staying calm and composed last week. He’s great with a wedge and his putting was pretty phenomenal.”

Four straight birdies from the third hole gave Klein the foundation to a strong opening round, the best of his eight birdies coming at the 205-metre par-3 11th.

A bogey on 16 after finding the penalty area was the only blemish on Quayle’s round of 66, the 2021 champion at Nudgee poised to contend again a week out from his rookie season on the DP World Tour.

“I’m pretty excited about the next few weeks,” said Quayle. “Three events that I think are going to be a lot of fun.

“I woke up this morning and I had a bit of excitement, that nice feeling you get before you play a round of golf and it worked nicely today.”

For much of the day it looked like being left a leaderboard logjam with Guan, Darcy Brereton, Deyen Lawson, Cameron John, Braden Becker, Gavin Fairfax and Harry Doig all posting 67.

Playing his sixth event back since the horrific eye injury he suffered little more than 12 months ago, Guan was 7-under through 15 holes but dropped shots at 16 and 18 to finish at 5-under and now three back.

Back at the venue where he made his debut as a professional two years ago, even Guan himself is surprised at how far he has come in such a short period of time.

“Yeah, it’s crazy,” said Guan, whose best result this season is a tie for 10th at the WA PGA Championship in Kalgoorlie.

“I look back and seeing how much I’ve gone through step by step and all the support I’ve been given, I’m just really grateful for the opportunity to get back to where I was, not knowing what I was going to do just over a year ago.

“It’s pretty much a blessing for me.”

Despite two early birdies it is a long road back for two-time defending champion Phoenix Campbell, who had two double-bogeys, two bogeys and two birdies in his final six holes for a round of 77.