Starting with a day’s best 8-under 64 from WA rookie Jordan Doull, it was a frenetic Saturday afternoon of scoring at Royal Fremantle Golf Club that at one point saw 13 players within three strokes of the lead.

Seeking to become the fourth woman to win a Webex Players Series event, Rudgeley gave the contenders something to chase, however, with an eagle at the par-5 18th for a third straight round of 5-under 67 and 15-under par total.

A monster drive across the dogleg left Haydn Barron just 147 metres into the 497m 18th hole to also close out his round with an eagle and claim outright second at 13-under, one clear of Doull, veteran Brett Rumford (66) and Queenslander Anthony Quayle (66).

New Zealand’s Kerry Mountcastle (69) and 36-hole co-leader Jake McLeod (71) share sixth at 11-under par, Sunday shaping as a genuine shootout in the west.

With a throng of family and friends set to flood her gallery again on Sunday, Rudgeley is feeling right at home in her quest for a maiden professional victory.

“I had quite a few actually. It was nice; family, friends. It was nice to see actually,” Rudgeley said of her fan base.

“I’m kind of in the zone, just focusing what I need to do, but you do hear those voices and you’re like, That’s him, that’s her.”

✅ Eagle down the last
✅ Two-shot lead heading into Sunday@KRudgeley is our 54-hole leader! #WebexPlayersSeries | #TheChaseIsOn pic.twitter.com/yeLaYwD1Xd

— PGA of Australia (@PGAofAustralia) January 11, 2025

Disappointed not to make it three straight birdies at the par-5 second, Rudgeley didn’t add to her overnight total of 10-under until she made back-to-back birdies at five and six.

She dropped a shot at the par-3 eighth but moved to 3-under on her round with birdies at 11 and 13.
Playing 248 metres from the women’s tee, Rudgeley set up birdie by driving the green at the par-4 15th and then hit 8-iron from 143 metres into the par-5 finisher, converting the eagle putt from the back edge to pull two strokes clear.

On the back of his rookie season on the DP World Tour where he failed to keep his card, Barron is pleasantly surprised to be so prominent in his first tournament since he was tied 13th at the Victorian PGA Championship in early December.

The 28-year-old eagled 18 and the par-5 sixth in a bogey-free 7-under 65 on Saturday at a course where he has enjoyed success in the past.

An 𝙚𝙖𝙜𝙡𝙚* on 18 gives @haydnbarron the clubhouse lead 😎#WebexPlayersSeries | #TheChaseIsOn pic.twitter.com/yPBgIP4qcy

— PGA of Australia (@PGAofAustralia) January 11, 2025

Second to Hayden Hopewell at the 2020 WA Open at Royal Fremantle, Barron is revelling in his familiarity with the venue and the comforts of home.

“It’s so nice to just be at home, going home to my missus and my dog every night has been pretty cool,” said Barron.

“Coming off last year when every single week just felt so big and so scary, to come back to an event like this – which is obviously an amazing event – but comparative to what I’ve been playing doesn’t feel that crazy.”

Second in a playoff at the WA PGA Championship in October, Doull delivered his lowest round on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia to date to join the hunt for his breakthrough win.

Having played alongside partner Kathryn Norris for the first two rounds, Doull admitted that he felt more relaxed having Kathryn on the bag on Saturday.

“She played well, but you don’t want to see her miss the cut,” said Doull, who had eight birdies on Saturday, the highlight his 20-footer on 13 after skipping his second shot through a bunker.

“That was kind of hard but having her on the bag, it just reinforces lines off the tee and on putts.”

Saturday also saw the start to both the Webex All Abilities Players Series Perth and Webex Junior Players Series Perth tournaments.

Lake Karrinyup’s Krishav Sheth leads the Junior Players Series by three after a round of 1-under 71 while Willunga Players Series winner Steven Alderson has a three-stroke lead in the All Abilities tournament.

The final round of the Webex Players Series Perth will be broadcast live on Fox Sports and Kayo from 2pm-7pm AEDT on Sunday with the final group to tee off at 2:10pm AEDT.

A day after matching the Royal Fremantle Golf Club course record of 9-under 63, McLeod dripped in a 15-footer for birdie on his final hole on Friday to post 1-under 71 and join Rudgeley at 10-under par.

Gold Coast’s Robyn Choi was 6-under on her round and 10-under for the tournament through 15 holes but finished with three consecutive bogeys to drop into a share of sixth at 7-under par.

A round of 6-under 66 by Brisbane’s Gavin Fairfax was the best of Round 2 and got him to 8-under and tied for third alongside Victorian Zach Murray (67) and New Zealand’s Kerry Mountcastle (70).

Playing in the afternoon groups, McLeod was faced with a far sterner test in Round 2 as the notorious ‘Fremantle Doctor’ gusted as much as 35km/h, calling on the work he has done the past year with short game coach Matt Ballard to hold his place at the top of the leaderboard.

“It could have quite easily (got away from me),” said McLeod.

“I was hitting it quite nicely and kind of out of nowhere I hit some very average shots today.

“It’s nice to grind out the pars and know I can get it up-and-down.

“I have that confidence now whereas before I tried to hit every green because I wouldn’t get it up and down.

“So that’s a confidence builder.”

Backing up her round of 5-under 67 in windy conditions on Thursday afternoon, Rudgeley made birdie at each of the four par-5s in a second straight 67 to be the first to post 10-under.

Playing in the afternoon wave that had it almost 1.5 strokes tougher in Round 1, Rudgeley had to contend with strong winds on the back nine on Friday morning as ‘The Doctor’ made an early house call.

It did little to faze her though, her junior days playing in Perth and past two years on the Ladies European Tour giving her the ideal grounding.

“I play Europe and over there, it’s windy all the time, so I’m pretty used to it,” said Rudgeley.

“I understand it now, which is always a bonus.

“Just hit the right shots with that wind and most of the time managed to execute pretty well.”

The first of Rudgeley’s three WA Amateur titles came in 2017 at The Western Australian Golf Club where Min Woo Lee won the men’s championship.

She is now poised to win the tournament that carries Minjee and Min Woo Lee’s names.

“It’s amazing that the two of them can do this event for us here in Perth,” said Rudgeley, who is expecting a gallery of family and friends to follow her in the final group on Saturday.

“It’s obviously the first Players Series we’ve had here and it’s amazing for everyone, even the juniors that are going to be coming in on the weekend.”

Fifth at the WA Open at Mandurah Country Club in October, Fairfax once again found a tree-lined, twisting layout to his liking.

A graduate of the PGA of Australia Membership Pathway Program at Redland Bay Golf Club five years ago, Fairfax has leant on 91-game former St Kilda player Gary Odgers to assist with the mental side to professional sport.

“I’ve been doing a bit of stuff with him in my mental game the last couple of years and it’s definitely helped,” said Fairfax.

“Not leaps and bounds, but just a little bit more polished and a little bit more controlled in situations where you might lose a bit of control or let your emotions to get the better of you.”

A total of 51 players made the cut that fell at 2-under par.

On Saturday the professionals will be joined by competitors in the Webex All Abilities Players Series and the Webex Junior Players Series.

Television coverage of Round 3 starts at 4pm AEDT on Fox Sports and Kayo. Round 4 coverage begins at 2pm AEDT Sunday.

Backing up her round of 5-under 67 in windy conditions on Thursday afternoon, Rudgeley made birdie at each of the four par-5s in a second 67 to be 10-under at the halfway mark at Royal Fremantle Golf Club.

She had a one-stroke buffer from overnight leader Jake McLeod as he began his second round with Queensland Gavin Fairfax (66) and Victorian Zach Murray (67) moving to 8-under par and just two strokes back.

Playing in the afternoon wave that had it almost 1.5 strokes tougher due to the notorious Fremantle Doctor in Round 1, Rudgeley had to contend with strong winds on the back nine on Friday morning as the doctor made an early house call.

It didn’t little to faze her though, her junior days playing in Perth and past two years on the Ladies European Tour giving her the ideal grounding.

“I play Europe and over there, it’s windy all the time, so I’m pretty used to it,” said Rudgeley.

“I understand it now, which is always a bonus.

“Just hit the right shots with that wind and most of the time managed to execute pretty well.”

🚨 LEADERBOARD UPDATE 🚨@KRudgeley currently leads day 2 @RoyalFremantle!#WebexPlayersSeries | #TheChaseIsOn

— PGA of Australia (@PGAofAustralia) January 10, 2025

Fifth at the WA Open at Mandurah Country Club in October, Fairfax once again found the tree-lined, twisting layout to his liking.

A graduate of the PGA of Australia Membership Pathway Program at Redland Bay Golf Club five years ago, Fairfax has leant on 91-game former St Kilda player Gary Odgers to assist with the mental side to professional sport.

“I’ve been doing a bit of stuff with him in my mental game the last couple of years and it’s definitely helped,” said Fairfax.

“Not leaps and bounds, but just a little bit more polished and a little bit more controlled in situations where you might lose a bit of control or let your emotions to get the better of you.”

Gold Coast’s Anthony Quayle was the big mover in the early afternoon wave, 4-under through six holes to join Fairfax and Murray at 8-under par.

Others in the mix at 7-under are Jason Scrivener (69) and James Marchesani (70) with the cut projected to fall at 2-under.

Live scores

Photo: Cassandra Edwards/PGA of Australia

McLeod equalled the low mark of 9-under 63 held by Hayden Hopewell and Josh Armstrong in perfect conditions on Thursday morning, three clear of the past two Gippsland Super 6 winners, Kerry Mountcastle (66) and Ben Henkel (66).

Winner at Warragul in December, Henkel was 8-under through 11 holes and threatening to surpass McLeod at the top of the leaderboard but three late bogeys to go with a birdie on 15 saw the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia’s most recent winner finish the day three shots adrift.

West Australian Kirsten Rudgeley and LPGA Tour-bound Queenslander Cassie Porter led the way for the women in Round 1, posting rounds of 5-under 67 to sit in a share of fourth alongside veteran Brett Rumford, WA Open runner-up Jak Carter and Victorian James Marchesani.

The 2018 NSW Open champion, McLeod burst out of the blocks in pristine and still morning weather, racing out to 5-under through seven holes after starting from the 10th tee.

He made the turn in 5-under 31 and was 7-under shortly afterwards with further birdies at one and two.

First (𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹) course record of the year ✅@RoyalFremantle | #WebexPlayersSeries

— PGA of Australia (@PGAofAustralia) January 9, 2025

The course record was at his mercy after he made eagle at the par-5 sixth and admitted that he was eyeing off double-digits under par with three holes to play.

“I was trying to get it to double digits there,” said McLeod, whose career low is 11-under at the Vic Open in 2017.

“I was thinking about it. I knew I got it to nine with three to go and I was like, Come on, get one more.”

Runer-up to Mountcastle at the Gippsland Super 6 in late 2023, McLeod credited the short game work he has done with Matt Ballard the past 12 months for his bogey-free round.

“I was hitting it good at the end of last year, but my putting was disgraceful really,” lamented McLeod, who made a superb sand save on his final hole to stay at 9-under.

“I did some work with my coach the last week, just a lot of set-up stuff, and felt pretty comfortable with that today.

“At times, still a little bit shaky, but they all seemed to go in, which was a good sign.”

.@jakemcleodgolf tops day 1 @RoyalFremantle 😎 #WebexPlayersSeries | #TheChaseIsOn pic.twitter.com/PwUeH5nQNE

— PGA of Australia (@PGAofAustralia) January 9, 2025

There were good signs, too, for both Rudgeley and Porter.

Enjoying the comforts of home during tournament week for the first time since turning professional, Rudgeley was 4-under through seven holes and content with 67 as she chipped away at the holiday rust.

“I feel like my game’s a little bit scrappy if I’m going to be honest with you,” said Rudgeley, who finished 12th on the Ladies European Tour Order of Merit in 2024.

“There’s a few things I need to work on, but I guess that’s time off over the period of holidays, I guess.

“I’m happy where I’m going. It’d be nice to have no wind tomorrow morning. It was definitely a bit windy out there this afternoon but you’re always going to get that here I guess.”

Given a major equipment change only a week ago, Porter was pleasantly surprised to keep a clean card in the first round of the year.

The 22-year-old was playing her first full round with a new set of Ping i230 irons and found them very much to her liking.

 “This time last week I had no idea how far they were going, so it’s a bit wild,” said Porter.

“I was struggling with a few club mysteries really so Ping sent me a new set with my specs and said, ‘Try these.’

“I put them in play straight away and saw some really good improvement.

“That’s a good way to start with them.”

Round 2 tees off at 7am AWST on Friday morning with the final two rounds broadcast live on Fox Sports and Kayo.

The 2018 NSW Open champion, McLeod burst out of the blocks in pristine and still morning weather, racing out to 5-under through seven holes after starting from the 10th tee.

He made the turn in 5-under 31 and was 7-under shortly afterwards with further birdies at one and two.

He matched the 9-under total set by Royal Fremantle member Hayden Hopewell and New South Welshman Josh Armstrong in the WA Open three years ago with an eagle at the par-5 sixth and admitted that he was eyeing off a double-digit total with three holes to play.

“I was trying to get it to double digits there,” said McLeod, whose career low is 11-under at the Vic Open in 2017.

“I was thinking about it. I knew I got it to nine with three to go and I was like, Come on, get one more.”

First (𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹) course record of the year ✅@RoyalFremantle | #WebexPlayersSeries

— PGA of Australia (@PGAofAustralia) January 9, 2025

As it was, McLeod needed to hole a 12-foot par putt on seven and get up-and-down from the front right bunker on nine to post 63, three clear of Kiwi Kerry Mountcastle (66).

Playing her first full round with new Ping i230 irons, LPGA Tour-bound Cassie Porter went bogey-free in her round of 5-under 67 to be the best of the women in the morning field.

Porter also started quickly with early birdies at 11, 13 and 15, keeping her card clean until making back-to-back birdies at six and seven to sit just four strokes off the lead.

“This time last week I had no idea how far they were going, so it’s a bit wild,” said Porter.

“This course requires a lot of respect. We just gave it respect today and it was kind to us.”

West Australian Jessica Whitting and Victorian James Marchesani were the big movers early in the afternoon wave, both 5-under through their first six holes.

Entry is free for spectators all four days with the final two rounds to be broadcast live on Fox Sports and Kayo from 4pm-7pm Saturday and 2pm-7pm Sunday AEDT.

Live scores

Photo: Cassandra Edwards/PGA of Australia