The Ladbrokes Pro-Am Series travelled to Cohuna Golf Club, home of Stuart Appleby, for the event played proudly in his name, the Stuart Appleby Pro-Am.

A picturesque course carved out of a river red gum forest and home to a large population of kangaroos, Cohuna Golf Club is a quintessential Australian layout.

It was a local who came out firing, Wodonga Head Professional Gavin Vearing setting the early pace with three consecutive birdies on the 5^th, 6^th and 7^th holes.

However errant tee shots on the back-9 proved costly for Vearing who recorded bogeys on the 12^th, 14^th and 17^th before a redeeming birdie on the 18^th saw him post a round of 1-under 71.

In a case of the student becoming the master, Wodonga Trainee Professional Tim Purtill went one better than his boss firing 2-under 70, his scorecard featuring three birdies and a bogey.

Playing in the afternoon field, Andrew Kelly quickly overtook the morning field leader posting a 4-under 68 to be the clubhouse leader. Ryan Lynch soon joined him at the top of the leaderboard posted his own 68.

Teeing it up in the Stuart Appleby Pro-Am for the first time, West Australian Rick Kulacz got off to a slow start before finding the course to his liking on the back-9.

Making the turn at 1-under the card, Kulacz made birdies at the 10^th and 12^th holes before driving the green on the par-4 13^th and rolling in a six-foot eagle putt to move to 5-under the card.

“On 13 I hit a good drive but it got a huge bounce and ended just six feet from the pin,” said Kulacz.

“It was nice to roll in the eagle with the next one.”

A birdie on the par-5 16^th saw Kulacz take a two-shot lead over Lynch and Kelly, however, he gave it straight back with a bogey on the 17^th.

A round of 5-under 67 provided Kulacz with a one-shot victory.

“This is my first time here and I must say I’m really impressed,” added Kulacz.

“I can’t believe you only have one person on the course staff here. A big thanks to Ross, he does an amazing job.”

As has become customary, with the event being played on a Thursday, Jarrod Lyle was in the memory of players who donned yellow in his honour.