Hailing from nearby Ulladulla and now calling Sydney home, rookie professional Jye Halls took advantage of local knowledge and home comforts to fire an opening 7-under round of 65 to share the lead at the South Coast Open with Victoria’s Lachlan Aylen.
The leading pair one clear of James Grierson, Riley Taylor and Northern Irishman Reece Black, who was centimetres from a hole-in-one at Catalina Club, which yielded plenty of birdies on day one when nearly half the field was under par.
Starting his day at the par-4 ninth, Halls opened his account with birdie on the 12th and immediately added another at the next, with the Mollymook Golf Club product recording three more in four holes for a 4-under back nine.
The 21-year-old adding three more birdies on the front nine before dropping his first shot of the day at the par-3 seventh in the closing stages of his round as he prepared to head back to his parents’ house via the mechanic.
“Not much this afternoon… I actually dropped my car off for a service this morning, so I go pick that up and then head home and have a relaxing afternoon,” the 2025 adidas Australian Amateur champion said of his Thursday afternoon plans.
“I moved out of home probably three years ago, but it’s nice to come back home and have home-cooked meals by your mum and dad, which is great.”
Already guaranteed a spot at the Ford NSW Open, with three more spots on offer this week in Bateman’s Bay, Halls used his experience in the coastal breeze at Catalina as he continues to learn the ropes as a professional, having joined the play-for-pay ranks this year and attempts to map out a schedule with no Tour status.
“Lately I’ve been going pretty low, which is great. I think the most important thing is trying to forget about yesterday’s round, and coming into today is just a new day. Come with a game plan, stick to that,” Halls, who was in a playoff at the Wagga Wagga Pro-Am last week, said.
“The WA swing is in October, I’m hopeful of getting an invite to WA PGA, fingers crossed, and then Pre Q (qualify) for WA Open, and then I’m already qualified for New South Open, which is good, and then thinking about it going to Asian Q school end of the year.”
Securing his place at The Vintage for the Ford NSW Open at South West Rocks and with strong form on the adidas Pro-Am Series, Halls is playing with increased freedom, so too Aylen, who started the new Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia season with a share of second at last month’s PNG Open.
“A bit more confidence and not trying to, I guess, be too perfect coming into these,” Aylen said.
“Honestly, with a bit more of a bank account, probably makes it a bit less stressful, so you can miss a couple putts, and you don’t feel like pulling your hair out… I don’t have any, but you don’t feel like it’s the end of the world, really.
“It feels like I played alright the last couple years without really having things go my way, and then now I guess the ball is in my court. It’s a good feeling to have, not getting up there, going, ‘Geez, I need to shoot this to pay off a credit card’.”
Similarly, with more stability as he spends more time working at Terrey Hills Golf and Country Club than playing tournaments, Grierson was also the beneficiary of less inhibition after he bounced back from a double bogey start to his day with an eagle two holes later and a 6-under total.
“I lost my first tee shot on my first hole (10), so I didn’t really think I’d have 6-under after that,” Grierson said.
“I played quite nicely. I haven’t been playing as many events, so it’s a bit of just enjoyment being out here.”
No doubt enjoying the chance to compete after not being in the field at Catalina until the week leading up to the event, Black’s round also started inauspiciously with a dropped shot before the now Victorian local reeled off four straight birdies, including at the par-3 seventh where his tee shot shaved the edge of the hole.
Taylor also managing a string of four birdies on day one of the 36-hole event to sit ahead of a congested chasing pack headed by Jasper Stubbs, Nathan Page and Joshua Fuller on 5-under ahead of the second round, which will be shown LIVE on Kayo Sports from 10 am-3 pm (AEST).
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