Perth’s Kirsten Rudgeley defied the trend in the opening round of the Ford Women’s NSW Open, shooting an equal course-record 65 on a day dominated by international players.
Rudgeley, who won her only LET title in a playoff against fellow Aussie Grace Kim (as an amateur) at The Athena in 2022, handled the stiff sea breeze better than most. She carded seven birdies in her opening round to share the lead with Spain’s Nuria Iturrioz, who posted her own six-under 65 to spearhead the international charge.
The 24-year-old Rudgeley felt right at home as the winds strengthened, picking up birdies at the 1st, 4th, 5th, and 8th holes before adding another at the short par-4 11th. She then stormed up the leaderboard with back-to-back birdies on the two par-fives, the 13th and 14th.
The quietly spoken 24-year-old played classic links golf, keeping her drives and approaches low—just as she would in Perth, where the Fremantle Doctor often intensifies throughout a summer’s day.
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“It was pretty cruisy. I enjoyed the day, really,” Rudgeley said.
“I handled myself pretty well in the wind and putted nicely today, which was good to see.
“I do like a bit of wind golf. I mean, not a lot of people do, but it makes the game a bit more creative.”
The powerful Iturrioz, 29, a four-time winner on the Ladies European Tour, had seven birdies and one bogey in her morning round. A bogey-free five-under back nine of 31 put her firmly in contention for a fifth LET title, with her last victory coming at the La Sella Open in her homeland in 2023.
Close behind is Sweden’s Anna Magnusson, who made eight birdies in her round to sit at -5 (66). Seven players are tied for fourth at -4 after an action-packed day in the final event of the Australian swing of the Ladies European Tour.
Iturrioz took advantage of the calmer morning conditions to get ahead of the field, her putter working its magic and her aggressive style paying off.
“I was at peace out there,” Iturrioz said. “I love the course, and I got lucky from the ninth hole onwards, where there was no wind. My putts dropped, and I played really well. I missed one fairway and had a couple of small misses, but no big mistakes, so I’m very happy.”
The sea breeze on this links-style course, close to Illawarra’s famed beaches, showed its teeth early in the afternoon, but the diminutive Spaniard remained unfazed, staying on the attack.
“I always try to play aggressively,” she said. “That’s why sometimes I score low, and sometimes I’m up and down.”
Indian professional Diksha Dagar also benefited from an aggressive approach on the relatively short par-71 layout, finishing at -4 and tied for third. The two-time LET winner wielded a hot putter and felt it was important to capitalise on the milder morning conditions.
“The winds were light, so I thought we should seize the moment,” the 24-year-old said.
“I was rolling my putts really well and holing out. This was one of my best putting rounds. I just struggled on the par threes as the wind picked up—I found it hard to get the ball onto the greens there.”
The highest-placed amateur is Korea’s Hyojin Yang, who combined four birdies with two bogeys to sit at -2 for the tournament, sharing 19th place with reigning NSW Amateur Champion, Grace Rho.
The wind will continue to challenge players over the remaining three rounds, with similar conditions forecast for tomorrow’s second round. A 180-degree shift to the southwest is expected later in the tournament, meaning the course will play entirely differently from the first two rounds.
This co-sanctioned event between the LET and WPGA is the final stop on the Australian swing before players head to South Africa.
Live TV coverage starts at 11 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday on Kayo, as the chase for the Jan Stephenson Trophy reaches its climax.
Join us tomorrow for more updates, social media highlights, and extended coverage from Wollongong Golf Club.
12.30pm: Aggression the answer as wind Begins to Bite
Four-time Ladies European Tour winner Spain’s Nuria Iturrioz says her aggression was the key to grabbing the clubhouse lead in the opening round of the Ford Women’s NSW Open at Wollongong Golf Club this afternoon.
The afternoon tee-times are heading out and they will be chasing Iturrioz’s six-under 65 as the winds pick up and conditions start to get a lot tougher.
The 29-year-old Spaniard carded seven birdies and one lone bogey (on the par-3 third) to hold a one-shot lead on a day where aggression paid dividends.
“I was at peace out there,” she said. “I love the course and I got lucky from the ninth which was without wind. My putts dropped and I played really well. I missed one fairway and a couple of small misses but no big mistakes, so very happy.”
Indian Diksha Dagar said earlier that she played more aggressively knowing that the wind would pick up. Iturrioz said the wind didn’t really matter because “I always try to play aggressive”.
“That’s why sometimes I’m low (scoring) and sometimes I’m up.”
The internationals are leading the charge here in Wollongong, with the nearest Australian being amateur Lara Thomsen who is at -1 through 16 and in a tie for 22nd. Of the Australians who have completed their rounds, Kristalle Blum is in the clubhouse with an even par round of 71 to be in a tie for 30th.
The marquee groups this afternoon include 12-time LPGA tour winner Sarak Kemp who tees off at 1.47pm local time.
More to come …
12.40pm: Internationals sin control midway through morning round
The internationals continue to set the pace at the Ford Women’s NSW Open at Wollongong Golf Club as the wind starts to pick up in the afternoon.
Indian professional Diksha Dagar is in the clubhouse with a four-under round (67) having taken advantage of early conditions with light winds and perfect greens which enabled her to find her putting form once again.
Competing in her 79th start on the Ladies European Tour, Dagar started with a bogey on the par-five 9th but quickly set her round in motion with six birdies from the 11th hole, and two more on her inward nine. Bogeys on the two par threes (3rd and 5th) and another on the 6th dented what was shaping up as a brilliant day in this co-sanctioned LET and WPGA event.
“The winds were light and I thought we should seize the moment,” she said.
“I was rolling (the putts) so well and holing out. This was one of my best putting rounds. I just struggled on the par threes with the wind picking up. I struggled to get the ball on the greens there.”
Finland’s Ursula Wikstrom is also back in the clubhouse with a four-under round, but the leaders are England’s Annabel Fuller (-5) and Spain’s Nuria Iturrioz
(also -5) who are leading the pack with two holes still left in their rounds.
Best of the Australians in the morning rounds so far include local amateur Lara Thomsen who is two-under through 14 holes which included an eagle on the 330m par-four 6th.
11.00am: Dagar, Kousova setting the Pace at Wollongong
India’s Dikshar Dagar and Czech Sara Kouskova have taken advantage of benign early morning conditions to be co-leaders of the Ford Women’s NSW Open at Wollongong Golf Club this morning.
Dagar is now six under through 12, while Kouskova is five under through 8. Dagar bogeyed her first hole this morning, but had six birdies in her outward nine of 30, whilst Kouskova started with three birdies and an eagle on the par-5 14th to be bogey-free and flying here in the co-sanctioned Ladies European Tour (LET) and WPGA open – the final event on the Australian swing of the tour.
Other notable scores so far include Sweden’s Moa Folke who has continued her great form from last week’s Australian Women’s Classic in Coffs Harbour to be at -4 and in a share of third.
Wollonogong local Lara Thomsen has got a memory she will cherish for the rest of her life, holing out for an eagle two on the 330-metre par-fourth sixth.
The Austinmer teenager is currently at one over and in a tie for 42nd.
More updates to come …
7.40am: Play underway in the Ford Women’s NSW Open
Good morning and welcome to Wollongong Golf Club in the heart of the Illawarra and host of this week’s Ford Women’s NSW Open.
This is the final event of the co-sanctioned WPGA and Ladies European Tour (LET) on the Australian swing of the tour and we have a full field of international and Australian players fighting for the Jan Stephenson trophy.
Conditions here in Wollongong are perfect for morning golfers with a light breeze out of the north which will increase from the north-east throughout the day, with the chance of an early shower or thunderstorm.
The greens are fast and small, and whilst the course isn’t overly long, it will be a stern test of the best iron players on tour.
Marquee groups on the course this morning include two-time Women’s NSW Open winner Meghan MacLaren, current Australian Women’s Amateur Champion Rachel Lee and Thai sensation Cholcheva “Arpo” Wongras at 8.47am, whilst 12-time US LPGA tour winner Sarah Kemp and Mollymook’s Kelsey Bennett will tee off at 1.47pm alongside last week’s winner of the Australian Women’s Classic, Belgian Manon De Roey.
Entry is free here at the Wollongong Golf Club with amazing hospitality available and some of the best vistas you could hope for, right next to the ocean and on a links layout that is one of the best in the region.
If you can’t make it down, please follow us on our social media channels for updates, live scoring and regular video snippets of all the action. The event will be telecast on Kayo from 11am on Saturday and Sunday morning.
Please join us as we bring you all the action from beautiful Wollongong Golf Club in this final event of the Australian swing.
