Bosio upstages the pros at Women’s NSW Open
As she prepares to join the professional ranks later this year, Justice Bosio has once again shown she is more than comfortable at the next level with the Queensland amateur holding the lead alone after day one of the Women’s NSW Open on seven-under.
Out early on an unusually windless Magenta Shores Golf & Country Club, Bosio enjoyed a comfortable group with Victorian Steph Bunque and Singapore’s Shannon Tan who attended high school in Queensland and was a regular playing partner in junior golf.
Making three birdies on her front nine, the tournament back nine, Bosio hit her straps late in the round, making four birdies in six holes from the par-3 3rd.
The hot scoring proved hard to keep track of for the 20-year-old who leads by two from German Laura Fuenfstueck, Spaniards Marta Martin and Luna Sobron Galmes, Thai Sasikarn Somboonsup and the soon to be retired Maria Jose Uribe Duran of Columbia.
Seven players sharing seventh on four-under.
“I couldn’t have started it any better. I said to my dad on the last, I was like, ‘What did I have?’,” Bosio said.
“It was one of those rounds where you are just cruising along, and then all of sudden you’re sinking putts, sticking them close. I wasn’t sure if I was six or seven (under).”
Staying bogey-free on Friday, Bosio was happy to be back in warmer conditions having shared 10th in New Zealand at last week’s Queen Sirikit Cup, where another Queenslander, Sarah Hammett, finished runner-up.
Hammett opening her account at this week’s Ladies European Tour (LET) and WPGA Tour of Australasia co-sanctioned event with a four-under 68 despite feeling a niggle in her back late Thursday. The Queenslander level with Tan, Bronte Law, Sofie Bringner, Elin Arvidsson, Emma Grechi and Peiying Tsai.
Bosio noting her constant comfort level whether playing with amateurs or pros as a sign she is heading in the right direction in her prospective career.
“Last week was heaps of fun, very, very different climate,” she said. “It was very cold, so it was hard to adapt to swinging in so many layers, so I think the golf kind of suffered a bit.
“I think because I have played so many (pro events), it is starting to feel a lot more comfortable now.”
Also increasing in comfort is Fuenfstueck not long into a return from a near yearlong lay off from the game due to a back injury.
A winner in her debut year (2018) as a professional, the 29-year-old German’s highlight of 2023 was a runner-up finish in Spain, with a mixed start to her 2024 campaign largely down her continued efforts to learn her new game.
“Post injury I have been trying to make some changes, so I can swing a bit more efficiently, golf wise and physically,” Fuenfstueck said.
“Some weeks it clicks in a little bit more, and others I have to work a little bit harder. I feel like I am closer to fully understand what I need to be doing … so that’s nice.”
Despite feeling “uncoordinated” with her golf swing, Martin drew level with Fuenfstueck late in the day following a second nine featuring four birdies against one bogey, while Sobron Galmes was among those surprised to find a fairly defenceless Ross Watson layout with the wind down.
The highly experienced Uribe, a former regular on the LPGA Tour, perhaps the slightly surprising member of the five-under group given she is headed for retirement post the Paris Olympic games, with Somboonsup the last to join the group.
Playing in the second last group off the first tee, the Thai who got her start via the Narrabri Regional Qualifier, had the hot round of the afternoon reaching the 14th hole with five birdies to her name.
A miscommunication with her caddie saw her second find the par-4’s back bunker before a brilliant up-and-down staved off bogey. A dropped shot that eventually came two holes later following a poorly struck tee shot at the par-3 16th.
Somboonsup bouncing back at the penultimate hole to sign for 67 and better for the experience of a sudden burst of attention.
Also garnering their share of interest on Friday were Czech Klara Davidson Spilkova and German Leonie Harm with holes-in-one.
Davidson Spilkova recording the first ace at the 115 metre 3rd with 9-iron, Harm following suit at the 6th with a 7-iron from 126 metres.
New South Wales’ Claire Shin getting in on the hole-out fun with an eagle two at the 8th, her second last hole of the day, when finding the cup with a gap wedge from 92 metres.
The second and third rounds will be shown LIVE on Fox Sports, KAYO and 7plus from 12:30pm AEDT.