Dec 4 (Reuters) – Mexican Carlos Ortiz produced a late surge to grab a share of the lead with Elvis Smylie and Ryan Fox after a six-under-par 65 in Thursday’s opening round of the Australian Open, while Rory McIlroy struggled in blustery conditions at Royal Melbourne, finishing with a one-over 72.

Smylie, 23, son of former Australian tennis player Elizabeth Smylie, delighted home fans with seven birdies against a lone bogey. New Zealand’s Fox matched the leading score in the event co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour, with eight birdies and two bogeys.

“The winds are a big factor today,” Smylie said.

“I felt like I did a good job at using my creativity and my imagination with flighting a lot of really nice shots and then always making sure I’m leaving it on the right side of the hole.”

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