Two-time Australian Masters winner Robert Allenby believes the experience of his previous victories will hold him in good stead as he shoots for a third title, after taking the opening round lead at Huntingdale.

The 36-year-old Victorian will enter the second round with a one-stroke buffer, after shooting a five-under-par round of 67.

Tied for second are two overseas players, Swedish 35-year-old Fredrik Andersson Hed and 40-year-old Englishman Peter Baker, a regular visitor to Australia, who first played in the Masters as an amateur in 1986.

There were six players bunched two shots from the lead on three under, Swede Daniel Chopra, who won a US PGA Tour event in Florida last month, New Zealander Michael Long and Australians Stuart Appleby, Rod Pampling, Kurt Barnes and Paul Marantz.

Having won the Masters in 2005 - as part of an historic triple crown, along with the Australian Open and Australian PGA - and in 2003, Allenby was full of confidence about his chances this week.

"I have been here before, I know what to do," Allenby said.

"What I have is two titles, where a lot of guys in this field don't, a lot of them don't have any.

"I'm very fortunate, I know what it takes to win around here."

Allenby was out early, finishing his round before midday, then sitting back as numerous challengers threatened to match his score, but fell away.

He notched four birdies in his first five holes, after starting his round on the 10th, then led throughout the day, with his round including just one bogey.

With the traditionally tough layout tamed by heavy rain on Wednesday, Allenby was left ruing the fact that he failed to notch an even better score, particularly after missing gettable birdie putts on his final two holes.

Immediately after his round, he expected someone would better his score, given the friendly course conditions.

"It was definitely there for the taking today, I'm happy to shoot five under and put myself on the leaderboard," he said.

Pre-tournament favourite Aaron Baddeley, experienced Australians Pampling and John Senden, New Zealand's former US Open winner Michael Campbell and Victorian youngster Andrew Tampion were among those to threaten during the afternoon but fail to capitalise.

Baddeley reached four under par on three occasions during his round, including after birdieing four of his first eight holes.

But he put in three poor holes to drop back each time, including a rare three-putt to double-bogey the par three 15th, which meant he finished the day at two under.

Pampling, who started his round with a bogey, made four consecutive birdies on holes six to nine, sinking long putts on the eighth and ninth, to move to three under.

But he lost momentum when he missed a shorter birdie putt at the par five 10th and was not able to get any closer.

Senden reached three under after 10 holes, but double-bogeyed the 11th, after taking two shots to escape a fairway bunker, then added two more bogeys to finish the day six shots off the pace.

Campbell was another to start well, reaching four under with four holes to play, but came undone with a bogey and double-bogey in his final four holes.

Tampion, 23, who turned professional only a year ago, was the one player to join Allenby in the lead during the afternoon, reaching five under after 12 holes.

But a bogey on the par five 14th took him a shot off the pace, before he struck disaster with a double-bogey on the 17th, after taking three shots to escape a greenside bunker, to end the day on two under par.

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