The largest field of the year has congregated to the Bellarine Peninsula for the annual Victorian Women's Spring Tournament.
Curlewis and Barwon Heads golf clubs welcomed 321 players from 150 clubs across the state for round 1 today and the field was split into A & C Grade (Curlewis) and B & D Grade (Barwon Heads).
Proceedings kicked off last night at The Range @ Curlewis for the Pre-Tournament Gathering.
Newly opened in January, The Range @ Curlewis is a state-of-the-art facility which boasts an 18-bay driving range, teaching academy, X-Golf indoor simulations, mini-golf course and function rooms.
Helen Pascoe (Buninyong) currently leads the field after opening with a seven-over-par 80 this morning and will be looking to add to her victory in the Victorian Women’s Autumn Tournament at Murray Downs GC earlier this year.
Pascoe’s round was highlighted by consecutive birdies on the par 3 17th & par 4 18th at Curlewis GC.
Leongatha’s Rebecca Thomas is three shots back on 83 and Casey Wild (Commonwealth) is a further shot back on 84.
Alison Sinclair of Warrnambool GC holds the overnight lead in A Grade Nett after shooting 75 off a daily handicap of 10.
B-Grade is set for a tight finish tomorrow with Robyn Angus (Latrobe), Gillian Sharp-Paul (Portsea) and Sue Westwood (Latrobe) all tied on 90.
Sharp-Paul also finds herself atop the leaderboard in B Grade Nett after recording a nett 71 off a daily handicap of 19 and is one shot clear of Kathie Kemp (Maffra).
In C Grade, Karen Jenkins will take a four-shot lead into tomorrow after firing an opening round of 94.
The Warnambool member leads Anne Quinn (Yarrawonga) and Jan Hourigan (Clifton Springs) who are tied on 98.
Jenkins enjoyed an outstanding opening round at Curlewis GC, recording a nett 70 off a daily handicap of 24 which sees her leading C Grade Nett and the Vi Teasedale Trophy awarded to the best overall nett.
The D Grade field tackled the tricky Barwon Heads layout and it was Ocean Grove’s Susan Stevens who led the way with her score of 104.
Two shots behind Stevens is Numurkah’s Karen Harper, Warnambool’s Marian McKenzie and Shepparton’s Maree Tomkins who all came in with 106.
In D Grade Nett, Heather Cuthbertson (Beaufort) is out in front with her first round score of 71.
Warrnambool duo Sharyn Nicolson and Madia Gilbert sit in second and third place respectively and have added to an array of impressive performances from the Warrnambool GC members.
The Tournament Dinner will be held at Barwon Heads golf club tonight before players switch courses for the second and final round tomorrow to commence at 7:15am (Curlewis) and 7:45am (Barwon Heads).
Click here for leaderboards and here for tournament photo gallery.