Not even a closing bogey could dull the enthusiasm of Steffi Vogel and her hearty band of Cobram Barooga Golf Club members on day one of the Webex Players Series Murray River played in honour of Jarrod Lyle.

At the course where she plays and practices every day and where her father, Terry, is the Course Superintendent, Vogel arrived at the 18th tee at 7-under par and just one stroke from the lead.

After finding the greenside bunker and receiving a less than favourable lie, Vogel only just missed her par putt, receiving countless hugs from friends and family prior to signing for a 6-under 65.

That puts her two strokes off the lead held jointly by Lincoln Tighe (63) and Japan’s Kotono Fukaya (63).

Reigning Women’s NSW Open champion Momoka Kobori is one of four players at 7-under, tied with Jake McLeod, Austin Bautista and Andrew Martin, WPGA Tour members making up seven of the top 18 after Round 1.

Close to completing the PGA of Australia’s Membership Pathway Program, Vogel made the cut in her home tournament 12 months ago.

That and other starts in WPGA Tour events has given her belief that she can compete at this level, belief that has only grown after her superb start on Thursday.

“I’ve always been quite negative about my game and quite intimidated by everyone out here thinking they’re so much better than me,” Vogel admitted.

“To be able to go out there today and have 6-under – even though I bogeyed the last – shows I do somewhat belong in this sort of field and I can do it if I put my mind to it.”

Vogel could not have made a better start to her tournament.

A good drive down the par-5 first put her in position to go for the green with her second. She pulled it slightly just left of the green, chipping in for eagle to burst out of the blocks.

“I said to my caddie that I was going to land it short of the green and let it trickle on and it went in the hole,” she said.

“Two-under through one was a good start.”

Buoyed by a top-15 finish at the ISPS HANDA Australian Open and retention of her Ladies European Tour card at Qualifying School to end 2023, Kobori finished her round of 7-under 64 in a flurry.

A 9-iron to eight feet set up birdie at the par-3 fifth which she followed with an eagle at the par-5 sixth. A final birdie at the par-3 ninth not only made her the leading WPGA player in the morning field but was one better than younger brother Kazuma (65).

After a disappointing season in Europe by her own lofty standards, Kobori has been encouraged by what she has seen over the summer months.

“I’ve had some bumps throughout college and things like that but last year was the longest and most major period where I didn’t feel like I was seeing any improvement,” Kobori said.

“That was pretty major for me so to be able to start to see the trend going up slightly is really nice.”

If Kobori’s 64 was a return to her ‘new normal’, Jessica Boyce’s 6-under 65 was perhaps her best since turning professional.

Working on her mental game with Gold Coast-based Jenny Jones in conjunction with swing coach Tim Wood, Boyce took a break from being Mum to 2-year-old to Inala to fire a bogey-free 65.

“It doesn’t compare. In the last 6-12 months, it’s like night and day,” Boyce said of her improved play.

“Jenny came out and saw me at Coolangatta last week and said a few things to help settle myself into shots.

“It was nice to catch my negative thinking today and turn that around. Even the nervousness I felt I turned it into excitement instead of nerves or fear.

“It was good to be able to switch that thinking.” - Tony Webeck

Photograph: Candice High