Sweden’s Maja Stark produced a round of 69 (-3) to lead by one stroke after 36 holes at the Women’s NSW Open.
The 22-year-old was the co-leader overnight having shot 68 (-4) in her opening round, but her second day at Coolangatta & Tweed Heads Golf Club was far from straightforward.
After starting her round with two bogeys, Stark rolled in two birdies and a further bogey on the front nine to make the turn in 37 (+1).
The two-time LET winner had a better back nine with birdies on 10, 12, 13 before dropping a shot on 15, but finished with a flourish making birdies on 17 and 18 to lead the tournament on seven-under-par.
“I can’t really remember anything from the round! It was a lot of up and downs, I do know that,” she said. “It was very frustrating and then I was able to make a few putts on the back nine so that made me a little bit happier again.
“It wasn’t a great start. I hit it in the water on one with a hook, which was interesting. I didn’t make up and down and I didn’t do it on the hole after that either. It was just a struggle.
“It is always good to be in the lead. I’m happy and I just want to take the good stuff from these two rounds because I made more bogeys than I usually do when I shoot these scores.
“I think I want to just focus on the good stuff with my game. I need to believe in myself and be confident.”
Wales’ Lydia Hall produced the joint-best round of the day firing a bogey 67 (-5) to move to a total of six-under-par and be in a share of second place.
“I hit a lot of fairways, I think I hit 16 out of 18 greens today, so I gave myself a lot of chances and that was the goal,” Hall said.
“It was a slowish start and then I hit a really nice shot into 15 to start the day and get the birdies going. I got in my stride and played quite nicely.”
Alongside Hall on six-under is Argentina’s Magdalena Simmermacher, who also carded a round of 67 (-5) to move into second place.
Four birdies on her front nine moved the 26-year-old up the leaderboard and three birdies and two bogeys on her back nine ensured she is in contention heading into the weekend.
“I think I started off good. I didn’t make a birdie on the first, but I kept on going and giving myself chances,” said Simmermacher, who is fourth in the 2022 Race to Costa del Sol.
“Then the birdies came on four, six and seven, then I birdied nine and 10, which are par-fives. On some par-fours, I left it really close and then on some I made really long putts. It was fun out there.
“I think my irons were the strongest part of my game because I gave myself chances. I have been struggling with that and that’s why I hadn’t been making too many birdies, but I played overall good and today I gave myself a lot of chances.”
England’s Alice Hewson is a shot further back in fourth place on five-under-par having shot a round of 70 (-2) on Friday afternoon.
“I got off to a good start again today. I made a few mistakes, but I feel I bounced back pretty nicely. Overall, I’m pretty happy,” said the 2020 Investec SA Women’s Open champion.
“The greens are holding up really well, they’re a little bit firmer today which definitely made it a bit trickier. I ended up over the back of a few greens which wasn’t ideal. I think I will plan a little bit differently for tomorrow, hopefully it will be dry, and conditions will be similar.
“I feel my putting was really good again today, I made a good number of birdies which is always helpful. I need to work a little bit on the chipping for tomorrow. If I’ve missed a green I need to get it a bit closer and give myself a chance for up and down.”
Australia’s Cassie Porter sits in fifth place on four-under-par after a round of 68 (-4) and despite starting with two bogeys, she then sunk six birdies including four in a row on holes 11 through to 14.
She said: “I’m happy with today. I started off with two bogeys, so it wasn’t fantastic to start, but I got my stuff together. I started hitting it straight which was nice, I wasn’t hitting it straight at the start, and then I holed a few putts and then got on a bit of a birdie train which always helps.
“On 11, 12 and 13 I holed three 30-footers in a row. I turned to my mum and asked what was going on. Then on 14, I holed a six-footer to keep the birdie train going and then I made a good par on 16. It was a nice way to finish the day after my struggle street start.”
Four players are tied for sixth with Malaysia’s Genevieve Ling, Germany’s Carolin Kauffmann, Sweden’s Johanna Gustavsson and Scotland’s Michele Thomson all on three-under-par.
While five players are in a share of tenth place including Australian duo Whitney Hillier and Jordan O’Brien and Alexandra Swayne from the US Virgin Islands. The cut fell at +6 with 69 players making it through to the weekend.
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