Stacy Keating

Four players shared the lead after the opening round of the Bing Lee / Samsung Women’s NSW Open being played at the Oatlands Golf Club in Sydney on Friday 25th January, 2013.

Swede Caroline Hedwall, Victorian Stacey Keating, Western Australian amateur Minjee Lee and Queensland’s Bree Arthur all sit atop of the leaderboard  after firing rounds of six-under-par 66 on a perfect day for scoring.

Lurking just one behind is defending champion, 15-year-old Lydia Ko from New Zealand.  Another six players including 2008 champion Laura Davies, South Australian Stephanie Na, Western Australians Kristie Smith and Whitney Hillier, Queensland Sarah Jane Smith and Victorian Inhong Lim are a shot further behind and well positioned going into the second round.

Hedwall, Keating and Lee were all out in the morning field and enjoyed the great conditions, the weather was fine, little wind and course was in great shape.

Keating said after her round, “I’m very pleased, played very solid, hit some close, and holed some good putts as well, very happy overall.”

Hedwall who has fond memories of Oatlands, as she won the 2011 title, which happened to be her first professional event.  After her round she said “I started off really well today, I pretty much had a birdie chance on every hole on the front nine, I turned four-under-par, that felt really good.”

“I  struggled a little bit at the start of the back nine, and then made a couple of birdies.  Over great start and I felt very comfortable”.

Lee, who comes into this week with a lot of confidence after capturing the Women’s  Australian Amateur title last weekend at Commonwealth Golf Club.  When asked about her round she responded “Obviously I was hitting fairways, greens and a couple of putts went in, so that kept me going”.

Defending champion Lydia Ko is just one behind and was very happy with her score,  “67 was my goal today, so happy to have shot that number.”

23 players shot under par on the par 72 layout.  After Saturday’s second round the field will be cut to the top 50 players.