Sydney Roosters captain James Tedesco, ultra-marathon man Nedd Brockmann, Sydney Sixers cricket star Dan Christian, Skegss lead singer Ben Reed and tournament host Braith Anasta joined the male and female professionals in the lead-up to the third event of the Webex Players Series which starts Thursday.

While the golfing exploits of the celebrity guests may have been mixed, Lawson carried his recent strong form into a sub-60 round that featured 10 birdies and an eagle at the par-5 ninth… all with a new set of irons in the bag.

Although it wasn’t enough to get his team across the line in the morning pro-am – that was won by the team of Grace Kim, Tedesco, Brockmann and Christian while Elvis Smylie teamed up with former NRL star Luke Burgess to win the afternoon wave – Lawson hopes to pick up where he left off when he starts the tournament proper at 8.20am on Thursday.

“I’ve got it to 10, 11-under through maybe 14, 15 holes before and had chances to (shoot 59),” said Lawson, who is currently ninth on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit.

“I had a bit of a wait (on the first tee) and I knew I had to birdie it for 59 and obviously wanted to.

“I hit it to about half a foot so that was kind of nice, to not have to stress over the putt.

“I’ve definitely had more pressure before in a tournament conditions to try and win or to shoot a low round but it means something to me, it’s good.

“It’s been a long period, not just one round. Even the first two days at Vic Open I was 16-under for two rounds. Do that anywhere in the world and you’re going to be thereabouts.

“WA Open is not even that long ago really. That’s always in the back of my mind and feeding off that.”

Making Lawson’s round even more remarkable was the irons in play for the first time.

He subbed out his Callaway Apex Forged irons 5-through-9 for the Callaway Apex MBs on Tuesday afternoon and instantly liked what he saw.

“Today was the first round with them,” Lawson revealed. “My coach has said for a while that I should go to that style, more of a blade, but I like a bit of forgiveness. He’s said that I’m now at a point where I don’t miss-hit too many shots.

“If you feel like you’ve had a bit of success with something it’s hard to change but it’s been over time – probably a couple of years – of my coach saying that I probably should go to that.

“Within a few hits you kind of know.

“I hit a couple of little draws, couple of higher ones, couple of lower ones, couple of little fades and just saw the flight that was coming out and how far it was going.

“I’ve had one round with them and they went really good so I’m pretty happy with them. But tomorrow’s a new day and conditions are different, the pins are different.”

Adding further interest to Lawson’s challenge is the record of the men in the two Webex Players Series events to date this season.

Min A Yoon (TPS Victoria) and Sarah Jane Smith (TPS Murray River) have taken the total tally of wins by the women to three in the past two years and there are a host of players with LPGA Tour experience seeking to extend the female dominance at Bonnie Doon.

Tied for sixth a year ago, Grace Kim is considered one of the tournament favourites while Smith Sarah Kemp and Su Oh have all played a number of years in the US.

Bound for the Epson Tour, Cassie Porter won the Melbourne International and led the Vic Open through 54 holes last weekend and Robyn Choi only narrowly missed promotion to the LPGA Tour in 2022.

Play commences at 7.30am on Thursday and the final two rounds on Saturday and Sunday will be broadcast live on Fox Sports and Kayo Sports.

Saturday will also see the commencement of the Junior Players Series and, for the first time at Bonnie Doon, there will be an All Abilities Players Series tournament conducted over 36 holes.