Austrian talent Emma Spitz is staging a dramatic late climb up the leaderboard during today’s opening round at the 2025 Australian Women’s Classic here at Coffs Harbour Golf Club.
After starting her day with a bogey on the 10th hole, Spitz has been nothing short of spectacular. The resilient Austrian quickly bounced back, recording consecutive birdies on holes 14, 15, and 16 to close out her opening nine in just 34 strokes.
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Her momentum continued on the homeward nine, with Spitz adding four more birdies on holes 3, 4, 5, and 6.
Her blemish-free play since the opening bogey has been impressive, especially considering the challenging conditions.
Players in the afternoon wave are battling a strengthening north-to-north easterly wind that’s rapidly drying out the Coffs Harbour layout. The course had been significantly affected by torrential rain following Tropical Cyclone Alfred, but conditions are evolving quickly.
2.30pm: Blues Duo Charge Home
Grace Kim and Kelsey Bennett have stormed up the leaderboard, both signing for matching four under par opening rounds, just two shy of the international leaders.
Kim, who made the turn at minus three picked up two more birdies on the back nine, with her only bogey coming on the challenging par-4 13th which has a new green that players are finding difficult to read.
“It felt pretty cruisy,” said Kim.
“I knew that the putts were going to drop eventually, but in the middle, I probably tried too hard. I was probably forcing a bit to get more birdies, and sometimes the contact gets out of whack. I tried to swing freely the last four and it turned out that works.”
Kim said replacing her driver added a bit more length, crucial in the heavier conditions on offer at Coffs Harbour GC following Cyclone Alfred last week.
“I just got a new driver, so it helps that it doesn’t spin back like my old driver does. It’s definitely one where you do want to try and rip it and get the most distance out of all of it.”
Mollymook’s Kelsey Bennett three-putted her first hole of the day, having fired a baby draw over the flag, and she also bogeyed the 10th.
Her patience paid off, however, with a stunning eagle on the par-5 17th “which my caddy definitely gave me a great read on”, and birdies on the 4th, 5th, 12th and 14th to make a great start to the tournament in her first season as a fully exempt LET player.
“(This round) gives me plenty of confidence,” Bennett said.
“There’s lots on the line when you get a win on this tour so a couple of major starts which would be unreal. But I’m feeling pretty good, I mean I’ve been playing quite well this year so far so I’m just hoping that it keeps trending in the right direction.”
1.30pm: It’s heating up at Coffs
The weather is heating up here on the Coffs Coast and so is the scoring in the Australian Women’s Classic with a pair of international leading through the halfway stage of the opening round.
Welsh star Darcey Harry, on her first “dream” trip to Australia, fired her lowest round of the year so far with a blistering six-under par 64 to be clubhouse leader alongside Sweden’s Moa Folke.
Harry had birdies on the 3rd, 4th, 6th and 9th holes to make the turn four-under. She found more birdies on the 11th, 12th and 14th holes with her only blemish coming at the par-four 13th where she picked up her only bogey of the day.
All in all a fantastic start to the tournament for the likeable 21-year-old.
“It was really good,” she said of her opening round.
“I think it benefited me not having a practice round because you’re going out, you’re not worrying about certain holes.
“You’re playing it blind, so you don’t have any worries. You kind of just are going for it. You can play aggressive. You don’t have to worry. I got off a really good start out there. The greens are playing amazing. I can’t believe how dry the course is getting so quickly. It was a lovely day. I mean, the sun’s out, so it’s brilliant.”
Asked which part of her game was dominant, Harry said it was her putter.
“My putting was really, really good,” she said.
“I just got the pace of the greens from the start and everything just kind of dropped. So it was one of those
days. It’s my first ever time (in Australia). I’ve always wanted to come here, so I’ll definitely be coming back next year.”
Where Harry couldn’t miss with the flatstick, Folke was just as dangerous tee to green.
“I don’t think I missed a fairway out there today,” said the 29-year-old, who is having her fourth season on the Ladies European Tour.
“I’m pretty sure I didn’t miss many greens either. It makes such a difference.”
Chasing the internationals is Australia’s great hope Grace Kim who is three back (-3) with two holes left to play including the par-five 17th.
10.30 am: Internationals Show the way
Play is underway in the first round of the Australian Women’s Classic at Coffs Harbour with internationals leading the way through the front nine.
France’s Nastasia Nadaud is equal leader at -3 through 13 holes, with birdies on holes six seven and the 10th,
Darcy Harry is also three under through 10, Michele Thomson, Hannah Screen and Blanca Fernandez have also made excellent starts to the day to also be at -2 early in their rounds.
The course is rapidly drying out from the effects of Cyclone Alred last week, with greenkeepers and staff at Coffs Harbour Golf Club to be congratulated for the hard work in preparing the challenging layout.
NSW golfer Grace Kim has made a solid start to her campaign to be at lone under par through five holes.
More updates to come
7.35am: We are underway
Welcome to Round One of the Australian Women’s Classic at the stunning Coffs Harbour Golf Club on the mid-north coast of NSW.
This Golf NSW event is co-sanctioned by the WPGA and the Ladies European Tour. It will be played over three rounds instead of four due to the effects of Cyclone Alfred on the east coast of Australia.
Leading the charge today are 2023 Lotte Championship winner Grace Kim and fellow Australian Sarah Kemp, a 12-time winner on the WPGA. Seven amateurs will also be looking to make their mark, with an LET tour card up for grabs for the champion.
Weather conditions today include light winds from the northwest and a top temperature of 29 degrees, with no rain expected until early next week. The course has recovered from the drenching it received from Cyclone Alfred and will favour longer hitters, with less run than usual and soft greens.
Golf NSW will provide live updates throughout the day on our website, www.auswomensclassic.com.au, with live leaderboards available for keen viewers. TV coverage begins tomorrow and will be available on Fox Sports (507) and Kayo from 11am.
With some spectacular golf on the menu, why not head down to this beautiful part of the NSW coastline and walk the fairways? Entry is free, and there are plenty of parking options. The Coffs Harbour Golf Club boasts one of the best clubhouses in Australia, featuring a balcony perched high over the 18th green, as well as a fantastic restaurant and café for all your needs.
