Sydney has turned on the weather for the opening round of the NSW Open 2016, and almost perfect scoring conditions have seen a number players already well under par at Stonecutters Ridge in Sydney’s west.
Last month’s Queensland Open winner Brett Coletta, PGA veteran David Bransdon and Jason King – the teaching professional who “plays the odd tournament” – have had excellent starts to share the leaderboard at five-under through nine holes.
All three started their rounds from the 10th, on a course designed by legend Australian golfer Greg Norman, with the back nine boasting three par-fives which all three have capitalised upon, especially Coletta who managed eagle on the 494m par five 15th.
Conversely, the course has not been kind to another legend of Australian golf, Craig Parry, who found trouble early in his round with a three-putt double-bogey on his first hole (the 10th). His remaining eight holes featured just a lone birdie on the 15th and he made the turn in last place of the 78 golfers already under way, with an inward nine of 41, already 10 shots from the lead.