Two nett eagles to start and four closing birdies has given Nudgee Golf Club a two-stroke lead after day one of the Women’s Scramble Championship Final at Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club on the Gold Coast.

Led by PGA Professional Chris Duke, the team of Lisa-Maree Jones, Lara Forster, Wendy Edmiston and Brooke O’Keeffe had 11-under par off the stick for a 16.7-under par 53.3 total with their cumulative 5.7 handicap.

With shots on the two opening holes which they birdied, the Nudgee team were 4-under through two holes before coolling off slightly with four straight pars.

They would have only one par, though, in their final 12 holes, finishing with a flurry of four birdies on holes they did not get shots on.

They will start the second round on Wednesday 2.8 shots ahead of defending champions Launceston Golf Club (56.1) with less than a shot separating Lucindale Country Club (58), Mosman Park Golf Club (58.2) and Rossdale Golf Club (58.8).

“Definitely a nice way to start things off,” Chris Duke said of their two early birdies.

“We had a good practice round yesterday and had a good look at the course and it’s always nice to get off to a good, strong start to start the week off.”

Brooke O’Keeffe was celebrating her birthday on Tuesday and delivered some crucial tee shots during the round, none more so than at the par-5 14th.

After watching her team-mates plunge balls into the water, Brooke smashed one down the centre of the fairway to set up the team’s fourth and final net eagle of the round.

“There were a couple of clutch shots when it was left to the last hitter, which was me, to keep it in play,” Brooke said of her birthday highlights.

Wendy Edmiston also had to cast aside seeing Chris hit his tee shot into the water at the par-3 16th before finding the green and sinking the putt herself for a decisive birdie late in the round.

“We watched Chris’s go in the water, that set us up,” Wendy joked.

“All day for me it was, ‘Oh no’, because it was so bad but I think it was the red wine last night that really helped to get the ball in the hole.”

The Launceston team of PGA Professional Daniel Smith, Narelle Hayes, Tammy Hall, Sally Gibb and Deidre Panton made an even stronger start to begin their Scramble Championship Final.

Like Nudgee, Launceston opened with two net eagles but followed it with three straight birdies to be 7-under through five holes.

They had opportunities to move past Nudgee late but could only manage four pars in their closing four holes to sit in second place.

Round 2 of the Women’s Scramble Championship Final tees off at The Palms Golf Course at Sanctuary Cove at 7:15am on Wednesday morning.