[PHOTO: Gary Lisbon]
Magenta Shores Golf & Country Club, on the Central Coast of New South Wales, welcomes a strong field this Easter weekend as the Ladies European Tour (LET) and WPGA Tour of Australasia co-sanction the Women’s NSW Open, where a prize purse of $500,000 is on offer in addition to the Jan Stephenson Trophy.
A familiar surname for Australian golf fans in recent times was etched onto the trophy in 2023 when Kiwi Momoka Kobori, sister of Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit winner Kazuma, claimed the title at Forster-Tuncurry Golf Club.
Kobori, a member of the LET, is back to defend, while familiar names will look to join her on an honour roll that includes the likes of Dame Laura Davies, Lydia Ko and Caroline Hedwall.
Meghan MacLaren, who has her name on the trophy twice (2018 and 2019) is back in her somewhat home away from home of Australia, while the local contingent will be hoping for some home ground advantage, including winner of The Athena, Kelsey Bennett.
Winner of the strokeplay portion of the Women’s NSW Amateur played in part across Magenta Shores in 2021, Bennett’s win at Peninsula Kingswood last month provided a significant shift in confidence.
“It’s definitely boosted it that’s for sure,” Bennett said on Tuesday. “I mean, The Athena was a very different format, so to play three rounds of 18 is going to be very different again.
“I’m feeling good, just seeing the coach (John Serhan) then, so it’s trending, so hopefully can clean up the scrappy bogeys and we will be away.”
The word “scrappy” was also part of the Mollymook product’s description of her play at the Hana Financial Group Singapore Women’s Open on the KLPGA, where Bennett missed the cut but took away lessons that could help this week as she chases a second win as a pro.
“Shot-wise, [my] game was definitely there. I was keeping up with all the girls, I was hitting plenty of greens, my putting and short game was a bit scrappy that week,” she said. “That was a big eye-opener as to how much more work I need to put into that side of the game.”
Putting in work on that part of her game with Serhan watching on, Bennett is hoping the wind gets up once the 54-hole tournament gets underway on Friday, with the 24-year-old stopping in for an extra practice round on her way back home to the South Coast last week.
“I have played it a fair few times. We played NSW Am here and I played here last week on my way back through from Narrabri… I love this course, I’ve had good memories here. Hopefully I can keep it going,” Bennett said.
“I don’t think it is playing too tough without wind. Off the tee is quite tight anyway, so with a bit of wind, it’s going to be pretty savage.”
HOW TO WATCH
The second and final rounds of the Women’s NSW Open will be shown live on 7plus.
Round 2: Saturday, 12:30pm-5:30pm, AEDT
Round 3: Sunday, 12:30pm-5:30pm, AEDT
FORMER CHAMPIONS
2023: Momoka Kobori (Forster-Tuncurry Golf Club)
2022: Maja Stark (Coolangatta Tweed Heads Golf Club)
2021: Not held (COVID)
2020: Julia Engstrom (Dubbo Golf Club)
2019: Meghan MacLaren (Queanbeyan Golf Club)
2018: Meghan MacLaren (Coffs Harbour Golf Club)
COURSE DESIGNER
Ross Watson (2006)
COURSE RECORD
Kim Burke, 72 (2010)
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Anne Van Dam, world No.76
Momoka Kobori, 2023 Women’s NSW Open champion
Kelsey Bennett, 2024 The Athena winner
Bronte Law, LPGA Tour winner
Meghan MacLaren, 2018 and 2019 Women’s NSW Open champion
Shannon Tan, 2024 Magical Kenya Ladies Open champion
Trichat Cheenglab, 2023 Ladies European Tour Order of Merit winner
Katja Pogacar, Women’s NSW Open Regional Qualifying Series Narrabri champion
Ella Scaysbrook (a), Women’s NSW Open Regional Qualifying Series Bathurst champion
