The Interstate Teams Championship has begun in Melbourne with Victoria and Queensland locked in heavyweight battle in men’s competition.
In showery conditions at Huntingdale, Queenslander Cory Crawford has clawed back from an early deficit to put the visitors right back in the hunt through nine holes.
Crawford was two down to Lucas Herbert after the powerful Victorian was conceded a birdie on the par-five 14th hole.
But Crawford wrested back the momentum with a spectacular approach to the 16th for birdie and turned all square.
Queensland No.3 Jake McLeod has Brett Coletta under the pump with a 3-up lead through the turn, with teammate Anthony Quayle also 1-up on David Micheluzzi.
But Tom Power-Horan, Frazer Droop and Ryan Ruffels each lead for Victoria in a tense battle.
In other men’s matches, South Australia has a decided edge over Tasmania with leads in four matches and two others square.
But in a slight turn-up, Tassie’s No.1 Greg Longmore is 2-up through 10 holes over South Australian ace Antonio Murdaca.
Northern Territory’s Mitch Gridley is 1-up through 16 against Western Australia’s Ben Seward in the Territory’s first ever match at Interstate Series level.
WA leads four of the seven matches against NT, with two others square.
In women’s matches on Royal Melbourne’s East Course, Victoria has won the week’s first point with Grace Daniell beating Tasmanian Sharon Crowden 8&7.
But the hosts aren’t having it all their own way with Tassie up in two other matches through nine holes.
In a potentially bigger shock, though, South Australia leads Queensland in four matches after nine holes, with Ella Adams leading 3-up against Robyn Choi with six holes to play in their No.4 encounter.
Powerhouses Western Australia and New South Wales are locked in another tense battle with Jessica Whiting already securing one match for WA and Paige Stubbs likewise for NSW.
Perth’s Hannah Green is 4-up over Liz Elmassian in the No.1 match, with the No.2 and No.3 matches all critical.