Indooroopilly 18-year-old Rika Batibasaga, and New Zealander Riki Kauiki are the early pacesetters in the 2005 Keperra Bowl, after shooting first round scores of 66 (6 under par). Batibasaga and Kauika hold a one stroke lead over Nick Papoutsis (Royal Queensland) and Rudi Bezuidenhout (Belmont, NSW).

Batibasaga's round included eight birdies, and bogeys at the par 5, 5th hole, and 18th hole, where a spike mark on the line of his 1 mentre putt for a round of 65 distracted his concentration. A member of Queensland's victorious State Junior Team in 2004, the round of 66 equalled Batibasaga's career-best.

Kauika, who represented New Zealand in last year's World Amateur Teams Championship, got to 6 under par after an eagle at the par 5 11th hole, before a bogey at 15, and a final birdie at 17.

In benign conditions, on a very well presented golf course, 22 of the 68 players in the morning field broke par (72).

The Keperra Bowl is Queensland's National Selection Trial Event, and is serving as a final hit-out for the six-man National Team which travels to Japan this weekend for the Four Nations Cup. This team will comprise Andrew Dodt (Qld), Won Joon Lee, Mitchell Brown (NSW), Andrew Tampion, Marc Leishman (Vic), Michael Sim (WA).

The National Squad players are in the afternoon field for today's first round, as is Australian One-Day International cricketer James Hopes, and his Queensland Bulls team-mate, fast bowler Damien McKenzie. Both Hopes and McKenzie are members at Keperra, and are quite accomplished golfers who play regularly. Hopes, who plays off a handicap of 3, has been a member at Keperra since his junior days, whilst McKenzie (handicap 6) joined the Club a few years ago.

The timing of this week's event has worked out nicely for both, enabling them to play without compromising their cricket commitments.

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