Hannah Green is positioned to make history as the first woman to win a Webex Players Series event as the West Australian took a share of the lead on day one of the TPS Murray River in memory of Jarrod Lyle.
Teeing off from the 10th hole in perfect conditions on Thursday morning, Green had the Old Course at Cobram Barooga Golf Club at her mercy, racing out to be six-under through six holes and asserting her Major championship credentials on the mixed gender field.
Two bogeys would see her sign for a seven-under par round of 64 and a share of top spot alongside 2021 Queensland Open champion Andrew Evans who went bogey-free also in the morning wave.
The pair were two shots clear as the afternoon groups teed off with Sydney’s Austin Bautista and Queensland’s Doug Klein able to cut the deficit to one with rounds of six-under 65, Bautista temporarily joining Green and Evans on top before dropping a shot at the short par-4 18th.
Prolific pro-am winner Matt Millar also threatened to reach seven-under when an eagle at the par-4 13th moved him to six-under on his round but a bogey at the 233-metre par-3 16th and two closing pars saw him close the day at five-under, one of five players to post 66 to be tied for fifth.
The best finish by a woman since the introduction of the Webex Players Series is Su Oh’s tie for third at TPS Victoria last year and world No.30 Green could not have been happier with her start to the tournament.
“I was six-under through six so I was like, Oh wow, this could be a low one today,” said Green, who hit her approach shot into the 10th to 10-feet and drained the putt for eagle.
“It was kind of effortless which was nice. Hit a couple of stray tee shots and made a couple of bogeys but overall I’m pretty happy with my game.”
TV Guide
The event will be televised across Saturday and Sunday on Foxtel and Kayo in Australia. Times in AEDT, check your guide for local times.
Round 3: Saturday 12 Feb: 2:30pm – 5:30pm
Round 4: Sunday 13 Feb: 12:30pm – 5.30pm
