Sydney’s Annika Rathbone is the leading woman at the Sandbelt Invitational with one round to play at Royal Melbourne, with Amelia Harris, Shyla Singh and Karis Davidson among her chief pursuers as the overall tournament heads for an exciting conclusion.

Despite admitting his score could be substantially better, David Micheluzzi shares the overall lead on 3-under with amateur Kayun Mudadana, with Rathbone sitting on 4-over, two shots ahead of Harris and Singh.

Signing for a 2-under 69 at Woodlands Golf Club on Wednesday, 2022/2023 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit winner Micheluzzi will be chasing a second triumph at Royal Melbourne after claiming the Master of the Amateurs at the famed course in 2018.

Micheluzzi admitting that if things were to go his way tomorrow it would be extra special due to his relationship with tournament host and 2006 US Open winner Geoff Ogilvy.

“It would also be really cool if I did, because Geoff has been a mentor, how he's helped me out quite a bit, but he's helped me out more than people know it with turning pro and what to expect,” Micheluzzi said.

“To have a major champion like him giving that advice. You can't pay for that kind of stuff, that experience. So that would mean the world if I did get up … it would be sick.”

The Sandbelt Invitational itself is designed around the same concept of experienced players interacting with younger ones across men and women from both pro and amateur ranks.

Some, like Mudadana, clearly comfortable in the environment, where parts of the learning is through conversation while others come visually from the likes of Richard Green, who fired the equal low round of the day.

The left hander’s 65 only matched by Cameron John, with Green at 1-under for the tournament and one shot back of fellow Victorian Matias Sanchez after his 1-under round at Woodlands.

Green continuing to knock the rust off his game after only playing nine holes with his dog for company since ending his tremendous 2024 PGA TOUR Champions campaign, where he came agonisingly close to a win.

“I've had good coaching over the last probably five or six years with Darrell Brown, and we've worked on a lot of things that have squared my golf swing up,” Green said of his impressive play despite a break.

“As opposed to prior to that I was all over the place. My game's up and it's down and it's up and it's down. Whereas my game's more on an even keel and a lot closer to playing really well.

“To win would be great for my confidence going into next year and in some way wouldn't surprise me with how I've played this year, to be honest.”

Perhaps surprising some as co-leader through 54-holes, Mudadana is certainly not planning on making way for Micheluzzi, Green or Sanchez, who as a Royal Melbourne member would love to lift the trophy on Thursday.

A New South Wales Golf Club member who has been spending his time on the driving range with the course closed for renovations, Mudadana looking likely to lead on his own with 18 holes to play until the closing stages of his 1-under 70.

“I was playing good. I was 5-under through 15 and hit a bit of a shocking tee shot of 16 and made triple,” Mudadana said.

“Just worrying about playing good golf and sort of enjoying the course. It's been a lot of fun when you're just not really worrying about it and yeah, just that's how I sort of play it,” he added when asked about the names he sits ahead of that includes a congested group behind Green.

Sandbelt local Matt Griffin, 36-hole leader Ryan Peake and NSW Amateur winner Declan O’Donovan, who was tied for the lead until a triple-bogey at the 18^th, all at even par and sharing fifth.

Cam John the next best at 1-over and one in front of American-based amateur Niall Shiels Donegan and one of Woodlands’ favourite sons Steve Allan.

Amateur Rathbone in a share of 11^th while LPGA Tour player Davidson lies 7-over trying to claim the women’s trophies and perhaps a low round to challenge for the overall title that has yet to be awarded to a female in the tournaments four year history.

Harris getting a good window into what the field faces tomorrow as they attempt to deny Micheluzzi another win after playing the third round with the man who shot 59 in preparation for this event, while also loving her time competing with some of the best players in the country. Especially her close friend Singh.

“I think it's really fun,” Harris said of the event.

“We're best friends. It's good to verser her, but I'm also going to be proud of her at the end of the day.”

Added Singh as the pair discussed preparing for the adidas Australian Amateur on the Melbourne Sandbelt early in the new year: “It's good to get to play around at Commonwealth before coming to play here for Aussie Am and play the Sandbelt courses.”

“Get familiar with them, especially, I haven't really played a whole lot of it being from Queensland, but it's always good to test my game against the Sandbelt.”

Full scores available at www.sandbeltinvitational.com