Maybank Championship Malaysia 2016: Thursday Leaderboard Scores and Highlights

Australia's Nathan Holman leads the way on seven under par after the first day of action at the 2016 Maybank Championship Malaysia.

He carded a bogey-less 64 at Kuala Lumpur's Royal Selangor Golf Club but is closely chased by a group of six on six under par, including English duo Danny Willett and Tommy Fleetwood.

France's Alexander Levy is another just one shot back having squandered the chance to share the overnight lead with a bogey on the last.

Here is the leaderboard after Day 1's action:

#	Nat	Player	Score	R1
T1	AUS	Nathan Holman	-7	64
T2	FRA	Alexander Levy	-6	65
T2	ESP	Jorge Campillo	-6	65
T2	ENG	Tommy Fleetwood	-6	65
T2	PHL	Angelo Que	-6	65
T2	USA	Peter Uihlein	-6	65
T2	ENG	Danny Willett	-6	65
T8	ENG	Richard Bland	-5	66
T8	AUS	Marcus Fraser	-5	66
T8	THA	Thongchai Jaidee	-5	66

The full leaderboard can be accessed at the European Tour's official website.

Thursday Recap

David Cannon/Getty Images

Holman set the early benchmark in the Malaysian capital. He laid down a marker from the off as he birdied the 10th—his first hole—before picking up consecutive shots on 13, 14 and 15.

Having birdied the two par fives on the back nine, he again made hay on the next of the longer holes, claiming a four on the third.

Another birdie at five and a terrific 20-foot putt on his last hole saw him into the clubhouse with a bogey-less seven-under par round.

He remained untroubled at the top for much of the day until Levy made a late surge.

One of the last to finish, the 25-year-old shot up the leaderboard with seven birdies and joined Holman at the top with two holes still remaining. 

However, a five on the last for Levy saw him finish the day in disappointing fashion, but he is still very much in the mix.

Fresh from his Dubai Desert Classic win earlier this month, Willett did not make the ideal start in Kuala Lumpur as he bogeyed the par-four second.

However, he was under par by the turn after back-to-back birdies on eight and nine, and he then chipped in from the fringe for eagle at the 13th, per the European Tour:

He followed the eagle with consecutive birdies and then sunk a long, swinging 30-footer at the last to finish with an impressive round of 65.

America's Peter Uihlein also went low, but a bogey-five at the ninth, his last, meant he also squandered the chance of finishing the day in a tie for the lead.

It was one of only two blemishes—the other bogey came at the par-three 17th—on an otherwise impressive scorecard that included a birdie-birdie-eagle-birdie run from the 11th.

South Africa's Louis Oosthuizen produced consecutive birdies on 17 and 18 to finish with a decent round of 67, and he could make a run at the leaders on Friday.

Meanwhile, former world No. 1 Martin Kaymer struggled somewhat in his level-par round, the German matching four birdies with four bogeys in a frustrating day's play.

Englishman David Horsey was forced to retire from the tournament after just nine holes, revealing the reason for his withdrawal on Twitter:

After the first day of play, things are well set for a tight fight at the top going into the weekend.

It is clear that low-scoring is possible but, given the quality of the field, consistency will be the key for whoever emerges victorious on Sunday.