A trio of lesser-known Australian golfers leads the way after the opening round of the New Zealand Women’s Open at Clearwater near Christchurch on Friday.
Tamara Johns, Nikki Campbell and Sarah Oh shot three-under-par 69s, all playing in the morning in challenging conditions at Clearwater Golf Club.
Starting off the 10th hole, Campbell shot five birdies and two bogeys, while Johns mixed six birdies, a bogey and a double bogey in her round.
Oh was the last of the Australians to share the lead after she birdied her final hole, the par-3 ninth, to card an impressive 69 in the blustery conditions.
Johns, who has returned to the sport after a two-year break, plied her trade on Europe’s development tour last year.
Campbell has enjoyed success in Japan but is heading to Europe this year while Oh, a former NSW Open winner, is focused on her golf in Korea.
“It’s a good thing to shoot a good score with the winds up. Hopefully tomorrow afternoon, it will help me get used to some of the conditions,” Campbell said afterwards.
“But it’s only one round so I’m not getting too carried away. I’m just pleased to play well in the wind.”
She was happy with her overall effort on a testing course.
“Fairways and greens are the key to playing around here,” Johns said. “The conditions were rough. When we turned the corner, it was just nasty on the front nine.
“It is pretty tough out there and it’s the sort of course that punishes you if you hit poor shots.”
World No.1 amateur Lydia Ko shares fourth place with American Alison Walshe and Nontaya Srisawang of Thailand on two-under 70, with another four players a further shot astray in a share for seventh.
Of the big names who struggled, Sophie Gustafson and Anna Nordqvist (both Sweden) shot 78 and 79 respectively while the tournament’s top-ranked player, world No.19 American Angela Stanford, had to settle for a six-over 78.