Shooting impressive rounds of 70 and 71, the 24-year-old finished three under par to secure her third win of the year—and her first on home soil in New South Wales.
Bennett came into the final round trailing overnight leaders Jordan O’Brien and Danni Vasquez-Boyd by a single shot. But she wasted no time making her move, sinking a birdie on the first hole to draw level.
What followed was a rollercoaster of a day, with the leaderboard constantly shifting. By the closing stretch, it was a head-to-head battle between Bennett and Vasquez-Boyd.
PHOTO: Golf NSW.
With nerves of steel, Bennett sank a decisive birdie on the 17th to take the lead. Meanwhile, two bogeys on the last two holes proved costly for Vasquez-Boyd, sealing Bennett’s victory.
“I’m absolutely stoked,” Bennett said after lifting the trophy.
“It’s really nice to have a third win for the year.”
For Bennett, the win was especially meaningful as it marked her first triumph in her home state.
“It’s definitely really special. Being from a part of regional NSW myself, it’s really nice to support the local towns and come out here and find myself a winner.”
The victory also came with the thrill of playing alongside her close friend and fierce competitor, Danni Vasquez-Boyd.
“It was so nice playing with her, because last week in Narrabri, we said to each other, ‘When are we going to get paired together?’ And then all of a sudden, we’re playing the last round today,” she said.
“Obviously, I’m so gutted for her because I wanted her to get it today. She’s one of my best mates since I started playing golf. So yeah, I’m absolutely gutted for her.”
She also encouraged aspiring golfers to stay determined.
“Just never give up,” she said.
“I was a few years behind most of the girls growing up, simply just from being from regional NSW. Anything is possible if you put your mind to it. Honestly, coming out here is unbelievable because I have my sponsors, Regional Australia Bank, so I can’t thank them enough for the support they give me and these events.”
With this win, Bennett earns a coveted spot in the Ford Women’s NSW Open, set to be held at Wollongong Golf Club next year, a course she knows well.
“I’m stoked. I grew up playing a lot of golf there, so I’m really looking forward to it,” she said.
Next up for Bennett is Morocco, where she’ll compete in the Ladies European Tour (LET) Qualifying School.
“I’ll be heading to LET Q School again to try and better my status for next year and give myself a full season on the LET,” she revealed.
Joining Bennett in securing a spot at the NSW Open is Cecilia Cho, who claimed the second qualifying position after a countback.
Cho finished tied for second on one under par alongside Kathryn Norris and Vasquez-Boyd but edged ahead with her strong back-nine performance.
“I feel very lucky to get this position,” Cho said.
“This was a good opportunity to check my game because I know the course and what shots I needed to hit. I kind of fought back with some birdies on the back nine, and yeah, I’m just feeling lucky to be in this position.”
The next Regional Qualifying Event is set to take place at Bathurst Golf Club. Action kicks off with the Pro-Am today, followed by Round One on Thursday.
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