Oh my, forgotten golf star roars to life at the Open

The 28-year-old former world amateur champion earned a meagre $US7400 ($A11,400) on the USA's secondary Epson Tour in 2024 before turning to Ritchie Smith, the revered coach of Minjee and Min Woo Lee and Australian No.1 Hannah Green.

Ending Round 1 with a birdie to take the outright lead ��— Golf Australia ⛳� (@GolfAust) #AusOpenGolf pic.twitter.com/zhrehIky6RNovember 28, 2024

"I can actually somewhat hit it somewhere where I'm looking at it," Oh said when asked how Smith had helped her after missing five straight cuts in the US.

"He's very supportive and he knows a thing or two obviously with the players that he already has.

"It's been good to like kind of rebuild and I've known Richie for a long time so I think that level of comfort has been there."

After playing her first Australian Open at age 12, Oh has now positioned herself beautifully to reverse her fortunes in stunning fashion.

South Korean amateur Hyojin Yang, who only qualified on Monday, matched Oh's seven-under round with a 65 at neighbouring Victoria to share the early lead.

Steph Kyriacou shook off two back-nine three-putts in three holes to card a four-under 68 at Victoria.

A major runner-up at this year's Evian Championship in France, Kyriacou had six birdies to be sitting joint third with New Zealander Hanee Song, Taiwan's Chun-Wei Wu and Thailand's Kornkanok Sungpankhao, who all started at Kingston Heath.

Steph Kyriacou crushes a fairway wood on day one of the Australian Open in Melbourne. (Con Chronis/AAP PHOTOS)

Playing with Kyriacou, superstar Minjee Lee could only manage a two-over 74 to be languishing eight shots off the pace.

The dual major winner and former world No.2 missed a series of short putts and blamed a lack of sleep and no coffee before teeing off early after only arriving from the United States on Wednesday.

"It was a short sleep. I'm pretty tired and was yawning quite a lot," Lee said.

"I probably wasn't quite 100 per cent on, but there's always tomorrow so hopefully I can make up for all the missed putts that I had today."

World No.5 Green, fellow LPGA Tourt ace Grace Kim and South Africa's two-time defending champion Ashleigh Buhai all had afternoon tee slots.