Peter Uihlein holds one-shot lead in Perth

Peter Uihlein holds a one-shot lead after scoring a seven-under par 65 during the first round of ISPS HANDA Perth International at Lake Karrinyup Country Club.

Uihlein, who finished eighth last week in the MayBank Championship Malaysia, started his round with a bogey before back-to-back birdies on the third and fourth prompted a run of good form.

A gain on the seventh was followed by an eagle on the ninth, his approach to the green bouncing only once before ending up in the hole.

"It was a pretty good number. I had a nice lie and hit a good shot", Uihlein said while describing the shot. "It was a pretty cool moment". 

Another birdie at 11 put him one behind the leaders, and a long putt on the 14th secured a share of the lead with four holes to play. Having missed three of his last four cuts, Uihlein believes his mental attitude is a key factor behind his improved performances.

"I was mentally sound I think," he added. "If I hit a bad shot I didn't let it bother me I just let it roll of my back and was ready for the next one".

Uihlein recovered well to hold for par on the 15th, and claimed the outright lead when he rolled in a testing birdie putt on 17 before a tap-in par at the last was enough to equal his lowest round of the year so far.

One shot behind Uihlein are Romain Wattel and Shiv Kapur - the former impressing with five birdies on the front nine, but had to settle for an outward nine of 33 after dropping shots on the fifth and sixth holes.      

Kapur, 34, lost his playing privileges last season with a 126th-placed finish on The Race to Dubai but showed good form at the Lake Karrinyup course, registering three birdies on each side, including three in four holes from the 12th.

A further shot behind is Australia's Rhein Gibson, whose first tournament of 2016 included five birdies, an eagle and two bogeys. 

Uihlein's playing partner Marcus Fraser eagled the seventh, but last week's winner missed several birdie chances before he finally picked up one more shot at the 16th to join a large pack at three-under-par. 

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