By Dane Heverin

Sheradyn Johnson shot to the top of the women’s leaderboard alongside defending champion Jeneath Wong as the Riversdale Cup began today.

Johnson, from the Commonwealth Golf Club in Melbourne, had an up-and-down round. She finished with a two-under-par, 71, that included a remarkable birdies. But three bogeys and a double-bogey prevented her from extending her early lead.

Wong, of nearby Metropolitan, fought back from bogeys on the first and third, to score 33 on the back nine.

Royal Melbourne’s Piper Stubbs sits one shot behind the co-leaders after finishing her round with a birdie-birdie-par run.

On the men's side, a withering finish from New South Welshman Sebastian Twaddell enabled him to snare the day-one lead.

Twaddell, of Bonnie Doon in Sydney, was bogey-free and then lit up with three birdies on the run to close out a brilliant five-under-par 67.

Defending champ Lawrence Curtis, of Peninsula Kingswood, also went bogey-free with two birdies on each side to card a quality 68.

Kew’s Abel Eduard joined him in second after starting on the 10th hole and recording a scintillating 32 on the back nine.

South Australian Jack Buchanan looked like he could lead after reaching five under through 13 holes but bogeys on the 14th and 15th ensured he finished the day in a logjam of eight players at three under.

LEADERBOARDS