Peter Lonard lived up to his reputation as the "King of Coolum", firing a warning round of 66 on day one of the $1.4 million Australian PGA Championship at the Hyatt Regency resort.

Denied a third PGA Championship last year by Nick O'Hern's freakish bunker shot, Lonard's six under was one shy of former World No.1 amateur, West Australian Michael Sim.

Lonard boasts a remarkable record at Coolum.

He won his first PGA title in 2002 shooting 19 under, sharing victory with Jarrod Moseley.

He shot 18 under when he won in dramatic fashion in 2004.

Before Thursday, he'd played his previous 20 rounds at Coolum in an amazing 74 under par.

Last year he matched O'Hern's record 22 under score, only to lose on the fourth play-off hole.

"I think you're going to have to keep your foot on the pedal all week," said Lonard.

"What did we shoot last year? We're looking at 22 to 24 under quite comfortably."

Lonard took a month off recently and spent some time working closely with his US coach David Leadbetter.

"I was upset to find out I'd been chipping the wrong way for 40 years," he joked.

"I found out I was a crappy chipper."

The jokes continued when Lonard, who's battled with his putting for years, was asked his opinion about all the different putting grips and styles used on Thursday.

"I'd stick my head up a dead bear's bum if it made me putt really good," he said.

Lonard felt he left at least three shots on the course - the 11th, 12th and 13th.

"I hit a really good shot into 11 and got it (the putt) caught in my petticoat and it stopped just short.

"The next hole I got caught in between clubs with a seven or eight iron in. "I tried to hit a soft seven which doesn't work when the greens are firm.

"I should have smashed an eight iron and I would have spin on it and (it would have) stayed on the green.

"That's the way it goes. You get some, you miss some.

Sim was the first player on the course, armed with a new grip and new shoes purchased at the resort's golf shop, after struggling with blisters in New Zealand last week.

He was thankful to his coach Dave Milne for making adjustments to his left hand after watching him pull shots on the driving range late on Wednesday afternoon.

Craig Parry, who stormed through the field with a final round 66 in last weekend's New Zealand Open, carried his form into the PGA with a eye-catching 66 to be one off the pace along with Richard Green, late finisher Lonard and power-hitting American J.B Holmes who only used his driver three times.

Victorian Stuart Appleby had a horror finish to a forgettable round of 78 which ended with him dropping five shots on the last three holes.

South African Rory Sabbatini's opening 68 was highlighted by an eagle at the 479m par five 12th hole.

A kangaroo joined Sabbatini's gallery when the South African was about to play his approach to the green which eventually finished two metres away for an eagle.

Holmes was impressive grafting seven birdies from the course without using his power game.

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