A Sunday shootout beckons at the Nexus Advisernet Bowra & O’Dea WA Open after a scintillating third round at Mount Lawley Golf Club.
WA’s Haydn Barron (pictured above) shares top spot with Victorian Cam John and Kiwi Jared Edwards at -5 for the championship, but the bunched-up leaderboard offers hope to a strong proportion of the field, with 16 players within three shots of the lead.
Blustery conditions, allied with some tough pin positions, turned moving day into a traffic jam. Just seven players broke par and only one — South Africa’s Oliver Bekker — broke 70.
The majority of the field — including overnight leader Mako Thompson and headliner Marc Leishman — backpedaled as Mount Lawley delivered the sort of stern test usually reserved for Major championships.
Leishman struggled to a three-over 75, while Thompson’s round of 78 included nine bogeys. Both remain in touch, however, just three strokes off the pace.
Marc Leishman struggled on day three but remains within touching distance of the lead
After a second consecutive day of damage limitation, first-round leader Barron looks to be the best hope of a home-state champion.
The rangy Western Australian Golf Club member ground out nine consecutive pars on his way home after a topsy-turvy front nine that featured two birdies, a bogey and a double.
A missed birdie putt at 18 denied Barron the outright lead, but he remains optimistic about his chances having weathered today’s storm.
“It was so tough and it’s awesome,” he said. “The setup’s amazing and it’s proper golf, so I’m absolutely loving it.”
Barron added that the reassuring presence of long-time mate Matt Wolfe on the bag has also had a positive impact on his mindset.
“You never know what tomorrow’s going to bring, but having Matt on the bag is awesome for me. We keep it pretty chill and just keep smiling and just keep enjoying it,” he said.
Co-leader Cam John knows what it takes to win on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia having won The National Tournament in Victoria back in 2024.
Despite that, he admitted to suffering from some first-tee nerves today when lining up alongside Leishman.
“To be honest, it was probably the most nervous I’d been on a first tee for a while,” he said. “Then I remembered that we’re all just human, just go have fun. So it was good.”
Having grown up playing links golf on the Sandbelt, John believes the firm and fast conditions at Mount Lawley will leave him in good stead on Sunday.
“I think [Mount Lawley] suits my eye. It feels very Victorian,” he said. “It’s a true test and although the course isn’t super long, it’s really holding its own against some pretty good golfers.”
Despite returning a two-over-par 74 today, Jared Edwards actually moved up the leaderboard from outright second to joint first.
It’s unchartered territory for the tour rookie, who says he’s relishing the prospect of chasing down a breakthrough win.
“I’m pretty proud of myself. I hung in there and finished quite strong,” he said. “Now I’ve got a taste for it, it’s going to be good fun to see how I go tomorrow.”
Hayden Hopewell is seeking a second WA Open title
Amongst the players to shine on day three was WA’s Hayden Hopewell, winner of this event in 2020 while still an amateur, who’s back on home turf after his second season on the European HotelPlanner Tour.
The Royal Fremantle member’s two-under-par 70 moved him to -4 overall and into a share of fourth alongside Josh Armstrong, Adam Bland and Oliver Bekker, whose best-of-the-day 68 saw him rocket into contention.
Tour winners Tom Power Horan and Anthony Quayle are a stroke further back alongside WA state captain Connor Fewkes, while the group on -2 includes Leishman and WA amateur Josiah Edwards.
The WA Open final round commences at 7.16am on Sunday, with the lead group teeing off at 10.44am. Spectator entry is free.
View today’s leaderboard here.
Two-way tie in All Abilities Championship
The concurrent WA Open All Abilities Championship for golfers with physical, mental or sensory disabilities is also balancing on a knife edge.
After 18 holes of the 36-hole event, Joshua Jones (QLD) and George Vassiliadis (SA) share the lead after rounds of 89. They’re two clear of defending champion Lochie Smith (NSW).
View full event information here.
The Nexus Advisernet Bowra & O’Dea WA Open at Mount Lawley Golf Club from October 16-19. Entry is free.
You can tune in to live coverage of the championship on Kayo over the closing two rounds
– Saturday, October 19: 1pm – 4pm (AWST)
– Sunday, October 20: 11am – 4pm (AWST)
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