Becky Kay has continued her phenomenal start to 2018, taking a four-shot lead after two rounds of the Bowra & O’Dea Women’s Classic at Cottesloe Golf Club on Monday.
With the national rankings title on the line in the final event, among the key factors in determining the prestigious Karrie Webb Series winners, there is plenty to play for in Perth.
But on a difficult day for scoring, only Kay managed to shoot one round under par, with gusty winds and persistent rain causing chaos.
Kay, however, stayed in control, firing a one-under-par 71 in the morning round before scrambling to a solid 75 in the afternoon, franking the form that took her to wins in Melbourne and Adelaide in a spectacular March.
At two-over, the Queenslander was the only competitor to have either round under par all day.
The Gold Coaster kick-started her campaign with an eagle on the fourth, before back-to-back birdies on eight and nine catapulted her to four-under through the turn.
Three bogeys on the back nine pulled her score back, but ensured her a three-shot lead into the afternoon session.
Tough weather conditions halted the defending champion's afternoo charge, but three birdies offset her five bogeys and enough to maintain the outright lead.
Sydney's Doey Choi, Melbourne's Stephanie Bunque and local contender Kirsten Rudgeley are all in hot pursuit, sitting two back at six over.
Remarkably, Rudgeley started her opening round, from the 10th tee, with five straight bogeys before salvaging her score with birdies at two, three, seven and eight to finish with a 74 before an afternoon 76.
Choi produced rounds of 76 and 74 to sit in a strong position going into the second day, with the leading Australian Amateur eager to clinch the title at Cottesloe.
Newly crowned WA Amateur champion Abbie Teasdale is a further two shots back at eight over.
Maddison Hinson-Tolchard and Kathryn Norris are the other WA players inside the top 10.
Lisa Taylor leads the Mid-Amateur competition by two stokes after a first-round 87, while Janine Northrop is the one to catch in the senior 54-hole competition, with a round of 81.