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Kiwi golfer Sarah Nicholson - Source: Photosport -
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New Zealand golfer Sarah Nicholson shot a six under 66 to set the early pace on day one of the New South Wales Women's Open on Friday.
The daughter of a television psychic, Nicholson said she won't be calling her mother for a prediction on how she will fare on Saturday.
Nicholson carded eight birdies at Oatlands to take a one stroke lead over defending champion Sarah Oh, who finished five under the card.
Sue Nicholson is a psychic medium who appears on the TV2 series, Sensing Murder (which returns to New Zealand screens on thursday, February 11).
Her mother might be famous in New Zealand for getting to the bottom of unsolved murder mysteries, but Sarah Nicholson wants fate to be in her own hands at the Oatlands Classic.
"I don't want to know! I like to think I have control over what I do especially on the golf course," Nicholson said.
"My mum basically goes in and investigates all of these murders and tries to find who dunnit, where they were and how they were killed. In real life.
"I remember playing the Australian Stroke Play once and I was going into the last round and I was six shots behind the lead.
"I spoke to mum on the phone after having an absolutely terrible round, and she's like, "you'll win tomorrow." I'm like ... I'm six shots behind, do you have any idea idea what that means?
"She doesn't know what a birdie is or whatever, and yet sure enough, I was six behind and I won by a shot.
"I do (believe). It's pretty hard not to believe when you know what she does."
Nicholson could have murdered the first round at Oatlands, if not for two consecutive bogeys on the 14th and 15th.
Defending champion Sarah Oh is just one stroke behind Nicholson, and is confident she's in a position to defend her crown.
Oh shot four birdies and a spectacular eagle on the sixth to complete a convincing round.
"I've just got to stick with my plan the next two days and I should be right," Oh said.
"Planning on my shots hole by hole, sticking to the caddie, play aggressive when I have to, but step back when I have to."
Reigning Ladies Masters Champion Katherine Hull is four under par, tied with fellow Australians Stacey Keating and Rachel Bailey.
The afternoon groups include last week's Canberra Ladies Classic winner Kristie Smith and former world No.1 Laura Davies.
