Macdonald breaks course record to lead in Australia

Australian WPGA Championship – leaderboard

-7 K Macdonald (Sco); -6 H Green (Aus), C Heath (Eng); -5 M MacLaren (Eng), L Vachova (Cze), V Knecht (Swi), K Yoko (Idn)

Scotland’s Kelsey Macdonald shot a seven-under-par 64 to break Sanctuary Cove’s course record and lead the Australian WPGA Championship after the first round.

The 35-year-old bogeyed the first hole but then made six birdies, and an eagle on the last, to lead the Ladies European Tour event in Queensland by one stroke.

Home favourite Hannah Green, who won the Australian Open last week, and English rookie Charlotte Heath – who also bogeyed the first – are in joint second.

Four players share fourth on five under including England’s Meghan MacLaren, who was runner-up in the Australian Women’s Classic at Magenta Shores two weeks ago.

“Well, the first hole wasn’t that great! So I had nothing to lose from then on,” said Macdonald, who has been playing golf in Australia for three months after earning a WPGA Tour of Australasia card.

“I just gave myself opportunities, and it was nice to finish the way I did. I’ve been in Australia since 2 January, taking advantage of the great weather.

“When I left Scotland it was minus seven degrees so it has been a great opportunity to keep playing.”

Heath, an LET Access Series graduate who played for Great Britain & Ireland in two Curtis Cups, carded seven birdies and dropped just one shot.