Charlotte Heath holds a one-shot lead at three-under after the opening round was suspended due to heavy rain, with German Alexandra Försterling among those tied for second.
The first round of the Ford Women´s NSW Open was suspended due to heavy rain, leaving the leaderboard in a provisional state with England’s Charlotte Heath leading at three-under par through 15 holes.
Heath, who has not yet completed her round, holds a narrow one-shot advantage over a group of players tied for second at two-under. Among those chasing the leader is Germany’s Alexandra Försterling, who managed to complete her full 18 holes with a solid 69.
Strong DACH representation despite weather disruption
The weather suspension affected players differently, with some having completed their rounds while others were forced to halt mid-way through. Denmark’s Sofie Kibsgaard also finished her round at two-under with a 69, joining Försterling in the tie for second place.
Several players from the DACH region are well-positioned despite the challenging conditions. Germany’s Patricia Schmidt sits tied for fifth at even par, though she has only completed one hole. Austria’s Emma Spitz is tied for tenth at one-over through 16 holes, while compatriot Katharina Muehlbauer finds herself further down the leaderboard at three-over through 16 holes.
Course conditions prove challenging
The suspension came at a particularly difficult time, with hole six proving to be the most challenging for those who managed to play it, averaging 4.57 shots against its par-4 rating. In contrast, the par-5 13th hole provided some relief, playing nearly two-thirds of a shot under par on average.
Switzerland’s Vanessa Knecht struggled significantly before the suspension, posting an 80 through her completed 18 holes. Meanwhile, fellow Swiss player Morgane Metraux and Germany’s Leonie Harm were yet to start their rounds when play was halted.
With 132 players recording scores before the suspension, the tournament will resume once conditions improve, allowing those who haven’t completed their opening rounds to finish before the second round begins.
This article was created with the help of AI and editorially reviewed.