Date: November 08, 2017
Author: Golf Australia

Crandell, Boulton vault to lead

Byron Bay's Mat Crandell shares the lead at the men's Australian Mid-Amateur despite a hole he'd rather forget.

Crandell and Victorian Mark Boulton each fired 75 to lead after the first round of the 54-hole event at the beautifully prepared Links Lady Bay in South Australia.

And in the women's division, Morisset Country Club's Louise Mullard is the outright leader, already three shots clear.

Crandell was bowling along superbly at even par in a testing breeze with his round's second birdie on the 11th bringing him back to even par.

But a triple-bogey from nowhere on the par-four 12th hole sent him back to the pack where he was joined by 2015 champion Boulton, of Philip Island, who made two late birdie to offset his five bogeys.

The men's field is tight with 10 players within four shots of the lead, whereas Mullard's pair of birdies enabled her to push clear of Robyn Callaghan, of Oxley, and Candice High of Royal Fremantle.

The second round begins tomorrow.

LEADERBOARDS