LIVE BLOG: The 2023 ISPS HANDA Australian Open
2:40pm update:
Kiwi amateur Zack Swanwick has carded an opening 5-under 67 at The Lakes.
2:05pm: WHAT THEY SAID TODAY “I know this place relatively well, so I felt like I had plenty of good memories in the bank to go out and play the course with. That’s by far the cleanest round I’ve ever had around here and without the wind, it was awesome to make the most of the conditions the way they were.” -Cam Davis (63)
“It’s good, the WA boys sticking together. I think you’re mentioning Min Woo, but he’s been a close mate of mine since junior golf. I’m a couple of years younger than him, but we’re best mates, so we just have a laugh out there and see how good we can go.” -Hayden Hopewell (65)
“I think having familiar faces here as well helped ease (the nerves) that bit. All my family’s here, my friends so yeah, it’s still a very scary thing, a hundred eyes on you.” -Steph Kyriacou (69)
“It’s just trying to keep the same mentality, meaning being happy off the course and feeling fresh before I go. I won in Macau but I kind of went too hard at night and didn’t feel that good in Japan, so I learned from that and didn’t go too hard after the PGA win. It’s just another week and I feel really good.” -Min Woo Lee (67)
“Yeah, frustrating. I think it could have been a few less, to be honest. I kind of missed a couple of putts there towards the end of the round when I started to feel all right. A little bit frustrating, but it was better.” -Cameron Smith (71)
2:00pm update:
The Australian All Abilities Championship is underway, with all four groups now out on the course at The Australian.
1:40pm update:
RACHEL LEE!!
The 16-year-old amateur has opened with an incredible 6-under 67 at The Lakes to take the solo lead.
Not even the heavy rain could stop her!
1:00pm update:
Incredible scoring at The Lakes continues!
Patrick Rodgers from the US has fired an opening 8-under 64.
He is currently solo second behind Davis.
Australian Hayden Hopewell has opened with 7-under 65 this morning.
12:40pm update:
2013 champion Jiyai Shin has opened with 5-under 68 at The Lakes and is in the lead, with a bogey-free round including five birdies.
16-year-old NSW amateur Rachel Lee, who Monday-qualified, is currently 5-under through 14 holes at The Lakes.
12:25pm update:
CAMERON DAVIS!!!
The 2017 champion has shot an incredible 9-under 63 at The Lakes.
His round included seven birdies and one eagle.
Stephanie Kyriacou has finished with a strong 4-under 69 at The Lakes, while Minjee Lee has fought back from a slow start to finish with a 3-under 70 at The Lakes.
France's Alexander Levy finished at 6-under at The Australian, while Patrick Rodgers from the USA is currently 6-under through 16 at The Lakes.
12:10pm update:
Last week's winner, Min Woo Lee has fired an opening round 5-under 67 at The Lakes, continuing his incredible run of form.
Playing partner Cameron Smith is in with a steady 1-under 71.
Over at The Australian, defending champion Ashleigh Buhai is away, along with playing partners Hannah Green and Grace Kim.
12:00pm update:
Four Stonehaven Cups between them! Our marquee group of Adrian Meronk, Adam Scott and Matt Jones are away at The Australian.
11:45am update:
Scotland's Grant Forrest has fired a first round 6-under 65 at the Australian this morning to kick off his ISPS HANDA Australian Open campaign.
The Scot is one back from Cam Davis who is still 7-under through 15-holes over at The Lakes.
Japan's Yuto Katsuragawa has shot up the men's leaderboard after an eagle at the par-5 17th at The Lakes, he finished with a 5-under 67.
2013 women's champion, Jiyai Shin is showing her experience, leading at 4-under over at The Lakes.
10:50am update:
Thailand's Sukapan Budsabakorn and our own Stephanie Kyriacou lead the women at 3-under, with Kyriacou having an eagle at the par-5 third at The Lakes.
Cam Davis still leads the men at 6-under, with Scotland's Grant Forrest, Ireland's Conor Purcell, and our own Hayden Hopewell all closing at 5-under
10:20am update:
2017 Champion Cam Davis is off to an absolute flyer at The Lakes today, he's 6-under at the turn.
Min Woo Lee is hot on his tail at 4-under.
10:00am update:
HOLE-IN-ONE ALERT
Japan's Ayaka Sugihara has aced the 144 metre 11th hole at the Australian with a perfectly struck 7-iron, the first hole-in-one of the tournament!!
9:50am update:
The 2017 champion Cam Davis has rocketed to the top of the leaderboard in the men's ISPS HANDA Australian Open at 5-under par through 7 holes at The Lakes.
The highlight for US-based Davis was an eagle at the par-5 14th hole.
Last week's PGA champion Min Woo Lee has started well, reaching 3-under through 9 holes and Cam Smith is 1-under, playing in the same group at The Lakes with Lee.
Thailand's Sukapan Budsabakorn is at 3-under and leading the women's tournament with a bunch of players including Aussie Gabriela Ruffels at 2-under.
9am update:
The big guns are surging toward the top as the ISPS HANDA Australian Open begins in Sydney.
World No.5 Minjee Lee
leads the women's tournament at 2-under par with Stephanie Kyriacou, Gabriela Ruffels, Sarah Oh and Thailand's Sukapan Budsabakorn.
Lee, who is chasing her first Open championship, had bridies at the 11th and 14th holes at The Lakes.
Sydney's Cam Davis is made three birdies early in his round at The Lakes to jump to the top of the men's leaderboard with Japan's Rikuya Hoshino.
But Min Woo Lee
(2-under) and Cameron Smith (1-under) have begun nicely at the same venue.
Conditions are delightful at both The Lakes and The Australian despite heavy rain on Wednesday which forced the tournament organisers to allow 'lift-clean-place' rules for the opening two rounds.
7.30am update:
A big crowd has turned out in blazing sunshine to watch marquee groups at The Lakes this morning including Cameron Smith, Min Woo Lee and Minjee Lee.
Smith and Lee teed off at 7.05am from the 10th tee and began with pars.
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They're away and playing at the 2023 ISPS HANDA Australian Open at The Australian and The Lakes.
On a beautiful misty Sydney morning, the first players took the two courses.
Participants in Golf Australia's MyGolf program hit the ceremonial opening tee shots.
"Lift, clean, place" rules are in play for the first two rounds after a huge storm flooded the course late on Wednesday, but conditions were superb for the beginning of the first round with a forecast maximum of 28 degrees.
Major champions Minjee Lee and Cameron Smith are both on the course at The Lakes this morning.
The 2023 ISPS HANDA Australian Open includes three separate championships for men, women and All Abilities players.
Live scoring
