Sandy, Utah (My Sportsbook) - Alistair Presnell fired an eight-under 63 to take the first-round lead Thursday at the Utah Championship.

Presnell, a 30-year-old from Australia, posted an eagle, seven birdies and a lone bogey to tie the course record at Willow Creek Country Club.

"The key for me today was putting," said Presnell, who picked up his first Nationwide Tour win at this season's Moonah Classic in his native Australia.

Two more Australians, David McKenzie and Andrew Buckle, shared second place at seven-under 64, while Josh Teater and Craig Bowden both shot 65.

Overall, 37 players finished the first round within five strokes of Presnell's lead.

Presnell began his round on the 10th hole with a 25-foot eagle putt from just off the green, then collected four birdies to make the turn in just 30 shots.

He added birdies at the first and second hole to reach eight-under for the first time, but dropped his only shot of the day at No. 4, where he drove into the rough and was unable to reach the green with his second shot.

"You have to take the good with the bad," said Presnell, who birdied No. 5 to re-gain the lost shot. "The important thing is to think positive after something like that (a bogey) happens -- the next hole is a new hole, the next shot is a new shot."

Presnell's victory at the Moonah Classic in March -- the second event of the 2009 season -- gave him a head start on making it inside the top 25 on the year-end money list, which garners an automatic promotion to the PGA Tour.

He entered this week ranked 18th on the list.

Presnell's 63 tied the course record set by Mark Hensby in 2000 and matched by Joe Daley and David Sutherland in 2001; Scott Gump in 2003; Franklin Langham, Craig Lile and Matt Weibring in 2007; and David Branshaw, Rob Grube, Marc Leishman and Michael Putnam last year.

Defending champion Brendon Todd opened with a two-over 73 on Thursday and was tied for 116th place.