Roberts (67) and Thompson (65) hold a one-stroke lead over an impressive trio of pro chasers including rookie Connor McKinney, and the experienced Matt Griffin and Daniel Gale (all with 66).

The opening round of the limited-field event where men, women, pros and elite amateurs play alongside each other was was delayed more than three hours after thunderstorms rolled across Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs shortly before dawn, dumping nearly 30 millimetres onto the Victoria Golf Club course.

It did nothing to dampen Roberts’ game plan, who attacked the course from the outset as she took driver on the short par-4 1st and smacked her tee shot onto the front edge of the green.

“I hit a little cut, which is a normal play for me. Managed to find the front of the green and two putts,” said the 18-year-old Roberts (pictured above), who finished 14th at the Women’s Australian Open just 10 days ago.

“I thought why not … obviously there is some bunker trouble down there, but you can still get up and down for birdie anyway, so I took driver.”

Roberts said the Victoria course was soft after the early morning rain which made for easier scoring.

“The greens were obviously a bit softer, and getting a bit more spin out there, so you could go at more pins,” she said.

“Other than that, you could putt pretty aggressively, even if you were putting downhill.”

Jack Thompson rattled home with an eagle and birdie in his last four holes. PHOTO: Paul Shire.

Roberts made four birdies before the turn and her only blemish came with a three-putt bogey on the par-4 11th. Birdies on the short par-4 15th and par-5 18th had her signing for a 67.

With the tournament moving to three different Sandbelt courses over the next three rounds, Roberts says the ongoing game plan is a simple one … play “normal golf.”

“Probably just need to go out there and play my normal golf … hit as many fairways and greens as I can and hopefully roll some putts in,” smiled Roberts, who agrees playing normal golf and being at the leaderboard is “reassuring”.

“I think that’s pretty chill,” she added.

Roberts also holds a three-stroke lead over Sydney’s Ann Jang (70) in the women’s amateur event, while Melbourne’s Max Moring (67) leads the men’s amateur section by one shot over Queensland’s Quinn Croker (68).

Thompson also charged home with an eagle on the 15th and a birdie on the 18th hole to reach five under.

He said the early morning rain made putting difficult early.

“It was difficult, because of the rain and the greens, they are always quick, so the first few putts I left five feet short just because in your brain you think it is so quick, because it usually is,” Thompson said.

“It took a few holes to actually realise that, then once I did, yeah it was easier to putt and score.”

Rookie West Australian pro McKinney had seven birdies in his round of 66, including one to close out his round on the par-5 9th hole. It was a similar story for Victoria club member Griffin, who was pretty happy with his haul of seven birdies against two bogeys around his home course.

Sydney pro Gale had just the one blemish on his card – a double bogey six on the par-4 11th – but offset that with six birdies.

The Sandbelt Invitational moves to Peninsula Kingswood for round two, then Yarra Yarra and Royal Melbourne for the final round on Thursday.