Australian Open: Uber driver Adam Stephens two off early lead

Uber driver Adam Stephens upstaged golfing elite to get within two strokes of the early lead at the Emirates Australian Open.

Stephens, who has only made seven starts this calendar year and relies on Uber driving to supplement his income, briefly set the clubhouse target after posting an opening-round 69 at The Lakes.

The world No 1,939 mixed five birdies with two bogeys in wet and windy conditions to end the day in a share of fourth, as Byeong Hun An set the pace after a five-under 67.

"That's the reality of being a golfer over here," Stephens told Channel Seven about his Uber driving, which he had turned to "just to get [his] mortgage going and a bit of income in".

An birdied three of his first five holes and eagled the eighth - his penultimate hole - to top the leaderboard, with Australian duo David Micheluzzi and Matt Jager a shot off the pace.

Marcus Fraser is in the group alongside Stephens on three under, with Matt Kuchar a further stroke back and defending champion Cameron Davis making a quadruple-bogey on his opening hole on his way to a four-over 76.

The event in Sydney is the first in the Open Qualifying Series, with the leading three players this week who are not already exempt securing their spots in next year's major at Royal Portrush.