Victorian amateur golf sensation Jazy Roberts has opened up a 12-stroke lead after 36 holes of the Bowra & O’Dea Women’s Classic.
The 21-year-old Australian international (pictured) dominated a high-calibre field at Mount Lawley Golf Club as she carded rounds of 69 (five under par) and 68 (six under par) to set a scorching pace no one could get close to.
Roberts, the reigning Australian Women’s Amateur Champion, made a searing start to the championship, birdieing Mount Lawley’s par-five 2nd before holing out for eagle from 135m on the 3rd.
A bogey followed, but Roberts picked the shot back up with a birdie at the 8th to reach the turn at three under par.
Her hot form continued into the back nine as she mixed three birdies with a single dropped shot for a five-under-par 69 that gave her a four-shot advantage.
If that was a warning shot to the field, Roberts’ afternoon round was even more impressive as she mixed five birdies and an eagle with a single dropped shot in a dazzling round of 68.
It moved Roberts to 11 under par for the championship — a tournament record low score for 36 holes — an incredible 12 shots clear of the pack.
As the reigning Australian Women’s Amateur Champion and the nation’s leading female in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, Roberts knows how to run from the front, but says she’s taking nothing for granted with two rounds still to play.
“Hopefully I’m in a good position, but this is a tricky course and anything can happen,” she told GolfWA.
“It’s very tight around here and there are a lot of bunkers, but I kept it on the fairway today and made a few putts, particularly on the par fives.”
Gosnells’ Nalynn Kim is the best-placed WA golfer in T2nd (Photo: Anita Reca)
Roberts’ nearest challengers are Jordyn Deen (Concord GC, NSW) and Nalynn Kim (Gosnells GC), who share second place at one-over-par for the championship.
Katie Seol (Cottesloe) and Isabella Leniartek (Royal Perth) round out the top five a further one and two strokes back respectively.
In the concurrent 54-hole Mid-Amateur event, a shot separates Billie Burville (Perth Golf Network) from Grace Cheetham (Gosnells) at the top, while Janice Gaudet (Lake Karrinyup) leads the Seniors’ field by one from clubmate Yi Cui.
You can view all today’s scores and Tuesday’s seeded draw here.
View a gallery of images from Day 1 here.
Keep up with the latest WA golf news via the GolfWA news section and our Facebook and Insta accounts. You can also subscribe to our monthly e-newsletter here.
