Brett Coletta
(Golf Australia Photo)

When you’re in the kind of form Brett Coletta is in at the moment, the questions never stop coming. The 20-year-old, who shot a course equaling record 10-under 62 in the first round of the NSW Open at Stonecutters Ridge today, came off course to a string of enquiries about his professional status and expectations. The 10-under first day has put Coletta in the lead by one-stroke over Rory Bourke and David Bransdon.

Only two weeks ago, the Victorian amateur defeated a quality field to capture the Queensland Open, the first professional event of the Australian summer. That win came only weeks after he missed a birdie on the final hole of the Asia-Pacific Amateur event in Korea which would have secured him a start at Augusta next April.

Asked today if that missed opportunity still hurts, he said: “Absolutely. It’s the ultimate goal to play in a major. It's definitely going to sting, but hopefully I get there one day in the near future".

He decided to enter this event with his amateur status well and truly intact, despite the obvious opportunity to earn some money. Whether he feels the pressure - internally or through the media’s questioning - it clearly is having little impact on his golf game. Today, it was special for the lack of errors, superb iron play and putting.

“It was all bit of a blur to start, all of a sudden I was seven under through nine. I played nearly almost flawless golf out there. I played exactly to my game plan,” Coletta said.

“It hit exactly to spots where I wanted to, and held my share of putts which usually equals a good score."

Coletta, who will play in next weeks Australian Open, did most of the damage on the back nine, with five birdies and an eagle on 15 for a front nine (he started on the 10th) of just 29 strokes. He finished his final nine with a standard three birdies and six pars.

Amateur Luke Toomey also performed well on day one firing a 7-under 65 and he is currently tied for eighth. Toomey played a bogey-free round with seven birdies, three on the front and four more coming home. Toomey finished his round with two consecutive birdies.

A total of 21 amateurs turned in red figure cards on Thursday.

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