Australian PGA Championship: Marc Leishman two off early leaders

Australian duo Jake McLeod and Matt Jager share the lead after the opening round of the Australian PGA Championship, as Marc Leishman started strongly on home soil.

McLeod fired a bogey-free 66 to set the clubhouse target at RACV Royal Pines Resort, which Jager matched after eagling two of his opening six holes.

Dimitrios Papadatos and South Korea's Jaewoong Eom are a shot back in a share of third, while Leishman sits in the group of five players two off the pace.

WATCH: Senden's driver snap!

John Senden snapped his driver mid-swing during the opening round on the Gold Coast.

"I think seven under would be a great score around here," Leishman said. "It's been the goal of mine for the last few years when I don't have my best golf, my best stuff, to still shoot under par. I'm getting better at it."

McLeod, who posted a top-three finish at the Australian Open earlier this month, posted six birdies during his round, while Jager cancelled out a bogey at the eighth to birdie his final hole of the day at the par-five next.

Leishman mixed six birdies with two bogeys to get to four under alongside Jason Scrivener, Douglas Klein and Mathew Goggin and Spain's Adrian Otaegui, with English pair James Morrison and Tom Murray part of the group a further stroke back.

Andrew "Beef" Johnston recovered from playing his first three holes in three-over-par to card a two-under 70, a score matched by defending champion Cameron Smith.

"I nearly walked off the course after 12 [having started at the 10th], to be honest," Johnston said. "It's been a frustrating year, and yeah, it's really annoyed me in the past. But I spoke to my girlfriend and she just said keep going, so I did and I just tried to stay calm. Luckily I turned it around."

Watch the Australian PGA Championship throughout the week on Sky Sports. Daily highlights are available from 1.30pm each day on Sky Sports Golf.

Australian PGA Championship Golf