If you’d told Hannah Reeves and Kelsey Bennett they’d shoot a pair of third-round 66s and their mates in the final two groups would struggle, they’d be thinking “final-round shootout”.
But such was the manic nature of the third round of the Ford Women’s New South Wales Open, they’ve still got company atop the leaderboard.
Reeves (-12 total) and Bennett (-11) will head the field as they go into final-round battle on Sunday, but remarkably, a whole host of new characters are now on stage.
Korean amateur Soomin Oh briefly led after a stunning early charge, but her tempo slowed and her own 66 left her in a share of third at -10.
To call it from left field would do a complete disservice to Thailand’s April Angurasaranee, but it’s not often a legit contender is battling to make the cut on one day, then storming into contention the next.
Angurasaranee matched last year’s champ Mimi Rhodes’ course record, although her 62 won’t count officially given the preferred lies in play at Wollongong Golf Club today.
Her round included a wonderful ace on the par-3 12th hole, just in case it wasn’t already spectacular enough.
Her charge took some focus away from Frenchwoman Agathe Laisne, who deserved her far more time in the limelight for seven blemish-free birdies.
But her 64 did manage to put her in Sunday’s final group.
Japan’s Arina Hayashi poured in a 64, unsung Aussie amateur Amelia Harris her own brilliant 66 – a score matched by Slovenian Ana Belac – and they only just made dispatches.
All the razzamatazz was even more remarkable given that event organisers pulled some magic out of their hat to get the rain-marred tournament back on its original schedule by the rarely used mid-afternoon shotgun start for the third round.
Players only learned of their draws 20 minutes before they were due on tee, but almost all withstood the fear of the unknown and shone.
Still, they are chasing the Aussie youngsters, both of whom are compelling stories.
Ford Women’s NSW Open – Leaderboard
Bennett, 26, the NSW South Coast prodigy who’s blossoming into the professional many thought she would become, missed several opportunities but still showed signs she could rip this course apart.
Her powerful best is legitimately world class and after a great debut season on the LET last year, she’s poised to signal her arrival as one of its stars.
It’s tough to remember Reeves, 23, only turned professional in October.
She has since won four professional events, including her first three in a row on the Regional Qualifier circuit that provided her this start.
They are Tiger numbers.
Remarkably today, showing composure rarely seen with such limited pro experience, she “trouble shot” her own swing on the seventh hole after pulling her approach shot on the sixth.
“My miss can be that way and I just realised what I was doing after that shot and then…” she said with great modesty.
From that point, she roared home with five birdies, nearly holing out for a closing eagle that thrilled the big gallery around the clubhouse.
To say the stage is set for a great tussle for the NSW crown is an enormous understatement.
What a closing day we have in store.
LIVE: Wollongong Golf Club
Sunday, 1 March
12 pm – 5 pm