Having played just four times on the Symetra Tour in 2014, Australian native Ellen Davies-Graham came into the Credit Union Classic lagging far back in 130th place on the money list.
That could change quickly, though, especially after Davies-Graham posted a six-under-par 65 on Drumlins Country Club’s East course in Friday’s opening round to seize a one-shot lead over Jackie Stoelting.
A Symetra Tour rookie, Davies-Graham teed off on the 10th hole Friday afternoon, taking full advantage of a Drumlins course softened by rains in much of the week leading up to the tournament.
Birdies on three consecutive holes – 13 through 15 – got Davies-Graham going. After that, it was all pars until the front nine, when Davies-Graham birdied the 2nd and 3rd holes to go to five under. A final birdie, on the par-three 8th, gave her seven birdies overall for the day, against just one bogey.
Stoelting, by contrast, has enjoyed a strong Symetra season, sitting at seventh on the money list. The top 10 finishers at season’s end earn their LPGA Tour cards.
And that strong play continued at Drumlins on Friday. She birdied each of three par-five holes on the way to her five-under-par 66, recording seven birdies overall to overcome bogeys on 5 and 12.
Five different players – Ashleigh Albrecht, Calle Nelson, Garrett Phillips, Veronica Felibert and Amy Meier – checked in with four-under-par rounds of 67. Five others shot 68. In all, nearly a third of the 144-player field finished under Drumlins East’s par of 71.
But that did not include Cheyenne Woods. The niece of golfing great Tiger Woods dashed to two under par through three holes, but did not make another birdie in the rest of her round. Bogeys on 12 and 15 sent her back to an even-par 71.
Defending champion Olivia Jordan-Higgins struggled with four bogeys and a double bogey on her way to a four-over-par 75 and will have to work hard in Saturday’s second round just to make the cut.
