16 Feb 2021 | Professional golf |
Record-setting affair at Corowa
by Golf NSW
It's been a record-setting affair for Josh Armstrong and Doey Choi in the opening round of the Murray Region Open.
The boyfriend-girlfriend combo from Concord carded matching course records this afternoon at Corowa Golf Club playing just one group apart.
Armstrong peeled off six straight birdies to finish his round at 10-under-par 63 – tying the course record set earlier in the day by Queenslander Charlie Dann.
“I saw (Doey) on 13, and she asked me how I was going. She was three under and I was four, so I thought, 'Hang on! Better get my butt into gear here’,” Armstrong joked.
“I got ribbed after she beat me at Coffs Harbour, so I couldn't let it happen again.” Armstrong promptly found his zone, reeling off six straight birdies to put any thoughts of “defeat” by his partner firmly to rest.
“They weren’t all tap-ins either – I had to hole a 10-footer on the last,” he said with a smile.
Choi, on debut as a professional, was just as thrilled with the record, but acted less impressed knowing she was second fiddle in the scoring stakes to her boyfriend with her opening 67.
"It's not a nice one," Choi said mischievously when asked the records post-round.
“I thought I was going to beat him today because I've been playing really well.
"But, obviously, I'm really happy for him."
Record aside, Choi said her opening round as a pro was largely satisfying despite four-putting on her first hole.
Choi, who turned 21 on Friday, bounced back quickly and as her course record attests, soon found her groove.
“I don't think I was nervous, maybe I was. It was just embarrassing, like OK, it was my first hole, and I fall apart."
“I played pretty good, but left a few out there. I missed a three-footer on one hole for birdie and kind of had to say to myself, `You can't miss these any more, they mean something’.”
With the course records in the books, the pair are looking forward to a late start in tomorrow's final round.
“I'll probably be playing with Charlie," Armstrong said. "He's a good guy and we played a bit in amateurs together."
For Choi, tomorrow will be all about repeating today's good thoughts.
"Hopefully I can have another good day, I'm feeling pretty good, so yeah looking forward to it. A nice pay cheque will be nice," she said with wide smile.
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