Malachy Marshall and Ryan Richards opened with matching 6-under-par rounds in the men’s event, while Amelia Harris and Japan’s Anna Iwanaga lead the women at 5-under.

The leaders capitalised on favourable scoring conditions, with light winds and cooler temperatures a welcome contrast to the 43-degree heat endured during practice rounds in Perth.

Marshall posted his low round at Wanneroo Golf Club before Richards matched the mark 30 kilometres south at The Western Australian Golf Club (WAGC).

In the women’s field, Harris held the solo lead after her early round at Wanneroo before Iwanaga drew level with an evening charge at WAGC.

Kooyonga Golf Club’s Marshall has enjoyed a strong run of form, recording four top-10 finishes in World Amateur Golf Ranking events already this year.

Despite that consistency, the 16-year-old arrived with minimal expectation and an easy-going approach that paid dividends with seven birdies and a lone bogey.

“My goal was just to take it easy and not put too many expectations on myself,” Marshall said.

“Three birdies in a row and holing a bomb on 14 isn’t a bad way to start.”

Richards produced a bogey-free round featuring an eagle and four birdies, with the Pennant Hills Golf Club member’s iron play and putting the foundation of his score.

“I hit seventeen greens and didn’t have a single three-putt,” Richards said.

“I was rock solid inside six feet.”

Harris’ position atop the women’s leaderboard comes as no surprise following her strong recent form, highlighted by a top-10 finish at the Vic Open last month.

“It would be a huge deal to win after being in the mix a few years ago and letting it slip,” Harris said.

“Being back in contention again really builds confidence and shows I can compete with players like Jazy Roberts and Ella Scaysbrook.”

The highlight of the day came early, with Max Maclean-Russell making a hole-in-one on the par-3 fifth just five holes into the championship, the first ace of the 19-year-old’s career.

In the men’s event, 11 players sit within three shots of the lead, while seven players are within three in the women’s field.

The fields will swap courses for Round 2 as the chase begins to make the 36-hole cut ahead of the final two rounds at WAGC.