Momoka and Macpherson make the most of wine country

The morning field pleasantly surprised that the deluge of rain that had hit the host venue and surrounding area left some very playable greens, which were understandably bumpy by the afternoon wave. The difference in conditions reflected in the scoring on day one.

Kiwi Momoka Kobori made the most of her second tee time of the day off the 10^th, with two birdies at the 11^th and 12^th followed by her lone bogey off the day at next hole part of a two-under front nine of 32 shots.

“I managed to get birdies early on the two par-3s back-to-back so it was quite good to get that started,” Kobori said after the round.

Turning 23 later this month, Kobori is staying on sight at Oaks Hunter Valley Resort and managed to convince adidas golf Senior Manager Darryn Lowe to take on caddie duties for the week. The combination proving a success, navigating the more scoreable front nine in three-under to finish the day with 64 and a five-under total. (The par changed to 69 after the 12^th was converted to a par-3 due to the damp conditions).

Bryden Macpherson shares the lead after one round of the TPS Hunter Valley. PHOTOValerio Pennicino/Getty Images.

The result somewhat a surprise for any player with no practice rounds able to be played as the course staff did everything in their power to have a tournament at all and the Steve Smyers design was given the chance to dry out on Thursday.

“I had a chance to have a look at the golf course – I had a bit of a walk around yesterday – and it was looking a little bit wet. But when we got out there it was actually looking a lot better than it was yesterday. Hats off to the Superintendent and everyone that’s just been working around the clock to get to get this started. It’s looking really good out there,” she said.

Joining Kobori at five-under was one of the stars of last summer on the PGA Tour of Australasia, Bryden Macpherson. The pair alone at the top with Aaron Wilkin one back, in front of five players at three-under-par.

Macpherson, also starting on 10, had a much slower start to his day, with birdie at the 11^th offset by a bogey at the converted par-4 14^th hole. The Victorian turning in even par before getting hot on the front side, his back nine.

Birdie at the 1st was followed by two pars, before the reigning NSW Open champion peeled off four birdies in a row starting at the par-4 4^th.

“It's actually really similar to NSW Open last year. I guess I maybe play a bit better when I don't care or don't have any expectations. You've got to give kudos to the ground staff, they've done a great job.” - Bryden Macpherson.

“Yeah that was nice,” Macpherson said of the run. “I hit a nice shot into the par-3. I holed a nice 20-footer up the hill on four and then hit a nice shot into the par-3, holed a nice one down the hill, the par-5 and the driveable par-4 I hit two really good approach shots, two chip shots, to tap in. Those are easy, those are nice.”

Macpherson drawing similarities to his success at Concord last year when heavy rain pounded Sydney in the lead up to the event and it was an achievement to even play the event at all.

“It's actually really similar to NSW Open last year. I guess I maybe play a bit better when I don't care or don't have any expectations,” the 31-year-old said. “You've got to give kudos to the ground staff, they've done a great job.”

Wilkin’s round was arguably one of the more impressive of the day despite sitting one shot behind the leaders. Playing in one of the last groups of the day when holing putts was proving difficult and the temperature rose, the Queenslander made three birdies in a row starting at the 15^th (his sixth hole) after an early bogey. Wilkin adding two birdies on the way in to sign for 65.

“It's tricky. Even in the fairways sometimes you're thinking, Will I get a flyer, won't I get a flyer, greens got very bumpy coming in,” Wilkin said of the conditions. "You can't really expect to hole putts, you're just trying to two-putt. I chipped one in on the third which was probably stealing one and just pretty steady.”

It is a well credentialled group one back of Wilkin, including Tour winners Brad Kennedy and Ben Campbell, as well as Josh Armstrong, Cassie Porter and impressive amateur Harrison Crowe.

The greenkeeping staff heading out at the conclusion of play on Friday to continue to improve the condition of the course and cut some of the long rough that has been unable to be tamed after more than 200mm of rain hit the area prior to the event.

More scoring opportunities perhaps presenting themselves on Saturday before the 36 hole cut, and a solid mix of men and women near the top once again reinforcing the qualities of The Players Series concept.