Amelia Harris blitzed The Links Shell Cove course to gain entry to this week’s Ford Women’s NSW Open at Wollongong Golf Club. Photo: NSW Golf.
The final qualifier for the 2026 Ford Women’s NSW Open, to be played at Wollongong Golf Club, has been decided after a blistering round at The Links Shell Cove.
Seventeen-year-old Victorian Amelia Harris arrived on the professional stage in stunning fashion, winning the final regional qualifying event at The Links to claim her first professional title as an amateur.
The 2026 Open is the biggest in its 20-year history and has a record $600,000 prize purse.
It will tee off with 132 players from more than 30 countries on Thursday (26 February) and continue through until the final round on Sunday 1 March.
Players include at least 20 Ladies European Tour winners, 12 Olympians, 12 tour rookies and two previous champions of the Women’s NSW Open.
The Links winner Harris is unfazed by the prospect of coming up against such talented, world-class players.
“Same as this week, just do my own game. It’s a super good experience and I’m super excited, so I’ll just see how it goes,” she said.
Harris carded rounds of 69 and 67 for a tournament total of eight under par, ultimately winning The Links regional qualifier by two shots.
Her final round was a blemish-free scorecard featuring five birdies.
“I mean, it’s obviously super special for anyone, but I don’t have any words. Speechless,” she said after her win.
Despite the lead changing hands throughout the day, Harris remained focused on her own game, a strategy she credits as the key to her win.
“I just didn’t worry about the other girls, and I just believed in myself. I mean, probably looked like I was a bit angry out there, but that’s just how I like to play, just by myself.”
With nerves creeping in during the final stages, Harris kept things simple mentally.
“Not much was running through my head, honestly. Just telling myself positive words and hoping I hit it straight.”
All eyes will be on Wollongong Golf Club during the Women’s NSW Open. Photo: Keeli Dyson.
Korea’s Jeongmin Cho, who goes by Cecilia, finished in second place at six under par, also securing herself a spot in the Open.
Cho admitted it was a bittersweet result after giving everything she had across the two days.
“I gave it my all. Things went my way for the first nine, then on the back nine I just couldn’t get up and down when I needed to, and that put me off,” she said.
Wollongong Golf Club hosted the Women’s Open for the first time in 2025.
Spectator entry is free across all four days with an open-access format – no ropes, no barriers. However, spectators have been warned that car parking at the club will be restricted to players, officials and staff so they’ll need to find parking elsewhere.
Some of the players to watch include Lydia Hall from Wales, a four-time WPGA Tour winner; England’s Meghan MacLaren who is chasing an unprecedented third title; Australia’s Kirsten Rudgeley who was runner-up at Wollongong in 2025 and 17-year-old NSW amateur Rachel Lee who’s the 2025 Australian Amateur champion and co-led the Australian Women’s Open.
Player registration and practice days will be held on Monday and Tuesday (23 and 24 February), while the Golf NSW Pro Am will start at 11 am on Wednesday 25 February.
Play in rounds one and two will start about 7:30 am on Thursday 26 and Friday 27 February.
At the end of the second round, the field will be cut to the top 60 professional players plus any amateur within the cut mark.
Those players will progress to round three on Saturday, with starting times yet to be confirmed, and the final round will be on Sunday.
The prize-giving and closing ceremony will follow after the final round in front of the clubhouse.
The 2026 Ford Women’s NSW Open will be played at Wollongong Golf Club from Thursday 26 February to Sunday 1 March. Spectator entry is free across all four days, however car parking at the club will be restricted to players, officials and staff.
Live scores, player and spectator information will be available at the Ford Women’s NSW Open website. Play on the final two days will be televised on Fox Sports and Kayo.
