Ewan Porter’s Slash get-up grabbed the attention but Newcastle’s Nick Flanagan assumed leaderboard bragging rights after the first round of the Jack Newton Celebrity Classic at Cypress Lakes.
In an event more about fun than serious golf – where professionals are grouped with amateurs, celebrities and sponsors – Flanagan birdied four of the last five holes to be at eight-under after the first of two rounds.
Freshly-turned professional Jake Higginbottom – who won the New Zealand Open last month in his last amateur appearance – and David Van Raalte were both on seven-under.
Taking the theme of the event to the extreme, Porter played his round dressed as Slash of Guns N’ Roses fame – the heat no deterrent as he went around shirtless complete with top hat, wig, boots and leopard skin tights.
It hardly seemed to affect his round as he finished three shots off the lead, while Nikki Garrett wore a full-length bodysuit as she impersonated an Avatar character for her one-under round.
Of the celebrities, Australian softballer Natalie Ward led the way, with her plus-eight the best in the to-par scoring format.
Retirement is obliviously agreeing with former St George Illawarra skipper Ben Hornby as he finished on plus-six, with comedian Jimeoin at plus-five.
Former Prime Minister Bob Hawke, who recently turned 83, was at plus-12.