Perry in early contention at Kansai Open Golf Championship

Australia's Dylan Perry made a superb start in his bid to land a maiden JGTO win as he sits in a share of third spot after the opening round of the Kansai Open Golf Championship.

The 28-year-old fired a six-under-par 65 to trail joint leaders Ryutaro Nagano and Tsubasa Ukita by just one shot in the ¥80,000,000 event, which is the second leg of the JGTO season.

Perry, part of the final group of the day, made a birdie on hole No. 10 he started but swiftly gave away the stroke at the next.

It didn't take long for him to make amends as he birdied four of the last five holes of his inward nine.

After the turn, another two gains earned on No. 5 and No 8 saw Perry finish at six-under along with Taisei Yamada.

"It was good, a little annoyed to miss out on the birdie putt on the last. But I was driving it nicely and the speed of the greens, overall it's really good," said Perry.

"Hope to do the same tomorrow, just play it steady, make a few birdies and try not to make too many mistakes."

It was one of the best opening rounds performances recorded by Perry but he clearly knows that it would count for nothing unless he put together four good rounds.

He was tied for the opening round lead twice - at the 2019 Gateway to The Open Mizuno Open and 2021 Mitsui Sumitomo VISA Taiheiyo Masters - but could only finish in tied-14th and tied-15th respectively.

Perry also opened the last year's Heiwa PGM Championship campaign in joint second but he finished the week in tied-41st.

Perry's best JGTO finish to date was tied for third at the 2019 Heiwa PGM Championship.

American Todd Baek was the next best-placed international player in joint sixth after birdied the last three holes to sign for a 67.

Fifteen-time winner Brendan Jones shot a 68 to be tied for 11th while fellow Aussie Brad Kennedy, the 2013 winner, scored 69 for his first round of the season to sit tied 19th.

Nagano soared with an eagle on No. 8, his second last hole of the day, to cap a roller-coaster round which saw him also collect eight birdies, a bogey and a double bogey for 64.

His effort was matched by unheralded 21-year-old Ukita, who could not ask for a better start on his maiden JGTO appearance after trading eight birdies with a lone bogey.

Leading first round scores

64: Ryutaro Nagano, Tsubasa Ukita;

65: Taisei Yamada, Dylan Perry (Aus);

66: Yuto Katsumata;

67: Hiroki Abe, Todd Baek (US), Takashi Ogiso, Takahiro Hataji, Toshinori Muto.