By Tony Webeck

West Australian rookie Kirsten Rudgeley has played her way into contention in her debut tournament on the Ladies European Tour. A second round of six-under 67 will see Rudgeley start the third round of the Joburg Ladies Open in South Africa at four-under par and just four strokes off the lead held by Denmark’s Nicole Broch Estrup (66). Rudgeley joined the professional ranks after finishing in a tie for ninth at LET Qualifying School late last year and has made an immediate impression at Modderfontein Golf Club. Following an opening round of two-over 75, Rudgeley responded with seven birdies and just the lone bogey to play her way into a share of sixth at the halfway mark. Ever-consistent Kiwi Momoka Kobori is three shots back of Rudgeley in a tie for 17th at one-under par, Wenyung Keh advancing to the weekend also with a second round of three-over 76.

Tied for sixth 12 months ago, Hannah Green is well placed again at the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore.

As American Elizabeth Szokol set a cracking pace with a round of eight-under 64 at Sentosa Golf Club’s Tanjong Course, Green kept the leader within range with a two-under 70.

She is tied for 14th along with Kiwi Lydia Ko with West Australian Minjee Lee (72) two shots further back in a tie for 36th.

Veterans Geoff Ogilvy and Greg Chalmers both posted rounds of three-under 69 in the opening round of the Puerto Rico Open yet they did so in vastly different fashion.

As Ogilvy navigated his way around Grand Reserve Golf Club with three birdies and bogey free, Chalmers had an eagle, six birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey as the pair ended day one in a share of 16th.

As Aussie trio Jason Day, Min Woo Lee and Lucas Herbert seek to secure their places within the top 50 of the world ranking, it was Adam Scott who led the way on day one of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club and Lodge.

Playing in the afternoon groups, Scott posted three-under 69, bouncing back from a bogey on his opening hole with birdies at six, 12 and 16, the latter two little more than tap-ins on the back nine par 5s.

The exclamation point was a wedge to eight feet on Bay Hill’s famous 18th hole, draining the putt to move into a share of 13th and four shots back of world No.1 Jon Rahm.

Day continued his resurgence with a round of one-under 71, level with Cam Davis with Aaron Baddeley the next best at even-par 72.