It was breezy at Wagga Wagga Country Club today, but after last week’s festival of high winds at Mollymook, it felt like a vacuum for the women of the WPGA Tour.
And the scores in round one of the second leg of the Ford Women’s New South Wales Open regional qualifiers reflected just that.
Globetrotting Kiwi Wenyung Keh and popular Queenslander Jordy O’Brien peeled off sublime seven-under-par 66s to lead the way.
But no fewer than 15 women shook off their early-season rust to finish under par.
Related Links:
Round One Leaderboard
Shin Returns to Wagga To Defend Title With Dad in Tow
Consistent Sydneysider Nayeon Eum and newly minted professional Ann Jang share four under with rising Adelaide star Caitlin Peirce.
And amid a bunch of six players at three under is the Mollymook champ, Hannah Reeves, who again looked ominous in just her second professional outing but couldn’t cash in with the putter.
The common refrain among them all is that the WWCC layout looks “scoreable”.
Keh, 28, has made no secret of her love of regional New South Wales golf, travelling with sisters Munchin and Siyi.
And after working with them in the family café in Auckland this past winter, she was quick to point out she much preferred life on the road.
“Yeah, I don’t want to be doing that for a living, or have Siyi as my boss,” Wenyung joked after her round of eight birdies and one bogey.
“I like the way this course looks, and I didn’t start that hot (from the fourth hole), but got it going around the middle and just kept it together.”
Conversely, O’Brien started on the first and despite four early birdies, was only one under par standing on the 10th tee after taking a six from the club car park while playing the par-four ninth hole.
“But then I chipped in on the 10th and away it went,” O’Brien said with a large dose of understatement.
The Gold Coaster made five birdies on the bounce from the 10th and followed with another on the 16th to match her best score around a course she loves.
“I always love coming to Wagga – the people are great and so welcoming, plus this course is fantastic, it just suits my eye.”
Among the higher-profile players in the field, Welshwoman Lydia Hall was uncustomarily up and down in her round of one-under 72, while Dannii Vasquez-Boyd was four over through six holes, but closed strongly to get back to the fringe of contention with a 74.
And while it wasn’t on the professional side of things today, a big shout to WWCC women’s president Carmel Adamcewicz for her second career hole-in-one, this time on the short “20th” (spare) hole during the concurrent members’ competition.
Tomorrow’s final round starts at 9.26 am with the final group off at 11.05 am.
The day’s play will be broadcast on Kayo Sports from 11 am.
TV TIMES – Wagga Wagga
Friday, 17 October
11:00 am – 4:00 pm
