Brad Faxon of the U.S. shot a 7-under-par 65 to take a two-stroke lead after the first round of the Australian Open. He had nine birdies and two bogeys on the 6,948-yard Metropolitan layout, matching the course record set by Greg Norman in 1983.

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Australia's Ian Baker-Finch, Peter Senior and David Iwasaki-Smith and New Zealand's Grant Waite opened with 67s. American Curtis Strange shot a 69 and countryman Raymond Floyd had a 71. Norman, hampered by a stomach virus that forced the Australian star to skip Wednesday's practice round, shot 74.

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