Queenslander Jordan O’Brien and Illawarra’s Danni Vasquez-Boyd are neck and neck at the top of the leaderboard after the opening round of the 2025 Ford Women’s NSW Open Regional Qualifying Event at Dubbo Golf Club.

Both players fired impressive 3-under-par rounds on Monday, with O’Brien delivering a flawless, bogey-free performance.

Fresh from her first-round lead at Narrabri last week, O’Brien continued her strong form in Dubbo.

“I don’t even know what actually happened, it went so fast I felt,” she laughed.

“I played with Danni, she had 3-under as well so I think we were just feeding off each other. And there was lots of talking.

“It was just a very chilled, fun environment and obviously the game was there as well.”

O’Brien attributed her success to staying calm and present throughout the round.

“I was just very relaxed out there today,” she added.

 ”I wasn’t thinking about anything apart from just being present at Dubbo. Off the tee was good, I was hitting greens and luckily enough a few of the birdie putts dropped in the end.”

Despite the camaraderie, O’Brien is keeping an eye on the competition.

“I feel like we’ll have the same vibes but maybe a little bit more competitive. I reckon we’ll just push each other,” O'Brien said.

”I’ve looked at the leaderboard. It’s pretty packed behind so you still have to go out there and shoot a really low score I think.”

With three events remaining prior to the Christmas break, her focus is clear.

“Winning is definitely something I’m trying to do before going home, it’s obviously one of the goals.”

Vasquez-Boyd (pictured), meanwhile, showcased her resilience after a rocky stretch in the middle of her round, finishing strong with two late birdies.

“Feeling pretty good after I finished. I started well - really good actually - and then I had two bogeys in the middle of my round but I came back with two birdies to finish so I’m feeling pretty good about my game at the moment,” she said.

Playing alongside O’Brien was a boost to her round as well.

“I played with Jordy and all day we were just playing well, bouncing off each other and I think it was just a really good pairing, so I’m excited to play with her again tomorrow.”

Vasquez-Boyd had more than just golf to celebrate today, marking her first wedding anniversary with a surprise delivery from her husband, professional golfer Darcy Boyd.

“It’s my first wedding anniversary today. I was just surprised with a bunch of flowers from my husband, he’s down in Victoria, so that made my day. It puts me in good spirits for tomorrow.”

The competition remains tight, with Mollymook’s Kelsey Bennett, Queensland’s Amy Walsh, and South Australia’s Caitlin Peirce, last week’s winner in Narrabri, all tied for third at 2-under par.

The final round begins at 8am AEDT on Tuesday with the lead group teeing off at 10:05am.

Fans can tune in to the live broadcast from 10am via the Women’s NSW Open website or the SEN App.

- Kassidy Rogan, Golf NSW