Australian Open First-Round Leader Tips: Dave Tindall's three to back up to 70/1

• 70/171.00 Curtis Luck has some good history in this event

• 55/156.00 Anthony Quayle is on a run of quick starts

• 40/141.00 Lucas Herbert has been a FRL twice in the Aussie Open

Weather forecast for Thursday

Round one is easily the windiest of the four days this week.

It should blow at a fairly constant 15-18mph throughout the day but could gust at double that at times.

Temperatures start at around 70 degrees and peak in the early 90s in late afternoon.

Tee-times begin at 06:45 while the last groups out (from the 1st and 10th) hit away at 13:45.

Earlier in the week, an afternoon start looked slightly better but it seems to have evened up now.

FRL Bet 1: Curtis Luck @ 70/171.00

Curtis Luck is a familiar name that pops up at this time of year as those not close to the Aussie circuit wonder if the former amateur World No 1 can really kick on. Maybe he can; Luck is still only 29.

He did actually qualify for the Open Championship back in the summer, missing the cut although shooting a decent round of 70 on day two.

But he's still worth a look on home soil, especially after finishing runner-up in this event at nearby Kingston Heath last year.

That, like Royal Melbourne, is a sandbelt course so hopefully he can show off his same skills here.

While 48th in the Aussie PGA last time was underwhelming, he made the top eight in two Western Australia events in October.

As for good starts, he was 11th after the opening lap last week and second through 18 holes in two of his previous four events.

Wind back further and he was first-round leader on the first of his three starts in the Australian Open in which he's made the top 15 in all of them.  

Back Luck, who starts at 07:15 from the 1st, at 70/171.00 (1/5 Odds, 5 Places). 

FRL Bet 2: Anthony Quayle @ 55/156.00

Anthony Quayle did us a favour in last week's Australian PGA when, tipped at 60s, he shared fifth place after round one.

The Aussie added laps of 66 and 67 to his opening 67 to actually take a piece of the 54-hole lead before suffering a disappointing Sunday 73 and finishing 10th.

Still, there was enough in that performance to give him another shot in the FRL market here.

Quayle's 18-hole positions in his last five starts read 5-2-16-40-8 so he's getting out of the blocks quickly.

He already has a DP World Tour card secured for next year so hopefully the man who was sixth after day one of his Australian Open debut can play with freedom again on Thursday.

Quayle tees off at 11:45.

FRL Bet 3: Lucas Herbert @ 40/141.00

Lucas Herbert has played in seven Australian Opens and led the way after round one in two of them: 2016 at Royal Sydney and 2024 at Kingston Heath.

And with four top 10s in his last five appearances, it's a tournament that Herbert absolutely loves.

He's had some good moments in 2025. Herbert won the International Series Japan, finished runner-up at the LIV Golf event in Mexico and, on his last start, placed fifth in the Saudi International where he closed with a 64.

It's a simple argument to play him here so back the Aussie, a 12:15 starter, at 40/141.00.

For the record, tournament favourite Rory McIlroy tees off at 07:05 from the 10th. He's 16s for FRL.

*You can follow me on Twitter @DaveTindallgolf

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