More than just a clear sky and increasing temperatures throughout the morning, the field at Kingston Heath for day one of the Geoff Ogilvy Foundation run event were treated to something even more unique on the Sandbelt, a nearly perfectly still day.

Out in the first group off the 1st tee, it was the biggest drawcard in the field perhaps outside of Ogilvy himself, who stamped his authority on the overall leaderboard.

Cam Davis birdieing the 2nd hole before a bogey at the next, then closing out the opening nine on his scorecard with a birdie-eagle combination to make the turn in 35.

There were more birdies as he made the turn for home, the PGA Tour winner improving his score to par at the 11th, 15th, 16th and 17th, before his birdie try at the 18th failed to drop. Davis signing for seven-under 65 and the lead by two through 18 holes.

“I was really looking forward to this, I was expecting a bit more wind than this, but at the same time, if you get a chance to play these courses in this sort of condition and hit shots and know exactly what they are going to do it is always satisfying,” Davis told Golf Australia magazine.

It was all smiles for Jye Pickin after an opening round of four-under alongside Cam Davis. PHOTO: Paul Shire.

“To build your round and hit multiple shots the way you were planning to and also seeing some putts go in on a course like this is always fun.”

Fun is one the key ingredients to the Sandbelt Invitational, a tournament that mixes men and women from the pro ranks with amateurs to help the younger players learn lessons from the likes of Ogilvy, Peter Fowler and Marcus Fraser, while using the country’s best courses in tournament play.

Davis, who was convinced to commit to the event during his time with the host at the Presidents Cup, getting his own inspiration from an older player in the lead up to this week.

“Watching him play really good golf kind of lit a fire in me, he smoked me around my home track,” Davis joked when asked whether his round with former Tour pro Ewan Porter last week at Monash Country Club in Sydney helped or hindered his play.

“I was really looking forward to this, I was expecting a bit more wind than this, but at the same time, if you get a chance to play these courses in this sort of condition and hit shots and know exactly what they are going to do it is always satisfying." - Cam Davis.

Another player that Davis had a hit with while in Sydney between Melbourne visits for the Australian Open and Sandbelt was Jye Pickin, the New South Wales state team amateur also in his group on day one this week.

Pickin not only leads the men’s amateur field by two from Jack Buchanan, but sits in third overall in the main tournament after a four-under 68.

“I actually played with him a couple of days ago but in a 70 kmh wind, so it was a pretty different sort of atmosphere,” Davis said of the 22-year-old who hails from Charlestown near Newcastle. “He’s got a lot of game. He’s got the swing. He’s got the attitude.”

Pickin won his segment at the inaugural staging of this event last year, and felt that Davis’ play helped to drag him along to sit one behind Tom Power Horan.

Kiwi Momoka Kobori leads the women's pros at three-under. PHOTO: Paul Shire.

“It was definitely good, playing with Cam out there watching some putts of his roll in was awesome,” Pickin said. “The game was good out there today, definitely hit some good shots, didn’t hit that many bad ones, but keep it going into tomorrow.”

For his part, Power Horan had a relaxing week last week after claiming his second Gippsland Super 6 title on the PGA Tour of Australasia the week prior.

Now working with former Tour player turned coach Brad Hughes on his game, Power Horan’s newfound consistency saw him record just one bogey on Monday against six birdies for a 67.

“Definitely been playing well and just needed to keep rolling. Had a week off, but im playing good. Just trying to kick on,” Power Horan told this publication.

Behind the trio of Davis, Power Horan and Pickin are Zach Murray, Brett Coletta and women’s pro leader Momoka Kobori of New Zealand on three-under.

Set to play a full schedule on the Ladies European Tour next year, Kobori, who lost in a play-off to Aaron Pike at the TPS Hunter Valley at the start of 2022, is using this week to work on her game in a big way with her coach Dom Azzopardi doubling as caddie this week.

The “under pars” include plenty of well credentialled players looking to push their case in the overall event, including David Micheluzzi (-2), Jed Morgan (-1), Cassie Porter (-1) and the leader of the women’s amateur section Jazy Roberts.

Making both cuts at the recent Australian Open, Roberts is just 17 years of age and recently finished high school.

The member of Belvoir Park Golf Club near Bendigo opening with a one-under-par 73 including five birdies. Playing alongside Ogilvy no less.

She leads the women’s amateurs by one from Lion Higo, with Belinda Ji and Amelia Harris another shot back at one-over. Harris at one stage sitting at three-under with three holes to play before a double-bogey, bogey, bogey finish.

“It was nice I guess, after playing the Aus Open a couple of weeks ago, it was good to back out there after going back home. The greens were pretty fast again, but it was really nice,” Roberts said.

“It (playing with Ogilvy) was really cool. Just to see the way he goes around the course was just cool.”

Another young player will get that “cool” experience tomorrow when the tournament heads to Royal Melbourne’s West Course on Tuesday for round two.

And if you are in the area there might be nothing cooler than watching a player like Davis at full flight without ropes alongside some of the most promising amateur golfers in the country.