Sunshine Ladies Tour | Hamilton shines in the rain to win Investec SA Women’s Open

Hamilton shines in the rain to win Investec SA Women’s Open

CAPE TOWN, Western Cape – As a lover of scrapbooking, England’s Esme Hamilton now has a very special golf memory to add to her collection after claiming her maiden Ladies European Tour and Sunshine Ladies Tour title in the Investec South African Women’s Open at Royal Cape Golf Club on Sunday.

Hamilton closed with a 71 on a final day of constant rain to win on 15 under par, two strokes clear of fellow English professional Cara Gainer who signed for a 72. Slovenia’s Pia Babnik took third place on 12 under par with a final round of 74.

Caitlyn Macnab finished as the leading South African on two over par following a closing 78, while Lisa Coetzer claimed the Jackie Mercer Trophy as the leading amateur on 11 over par with a final round of 78.

Hamilton was delighted to claim her maiden title in only her second season on the Ladies European Tour.

“This means a lot. I’m a bit lost for words. This is something I’ve dreamt about for a while. Hopefully this is the start of many more wins. I’m very ambitious and I’m excited about how I can build on this. But I’m going to make sure I enjoy this first,” she said.

Hamilton and Babnik teed off the final round tied for the lead on 13 under par, with Gainer just one shot behind them. Playing in the final group together, the title was a battle between all three of them as they each shared the lead on occasion.

The only significant mistake made by Hamilton on the final day was a loose drive on the ninth hole, which led to a double bogey and saw her tied for the lead with Gainer going into the back nine. But three birdies on the back nine secured her the title.

“I tried to just play my own game, which is a little harder when you have an LET title on the line. The steady golf made the difference today. I needed a lot of patience because this is a tight golf course and mistakes are going to happen. When I did make a mistake I either recovered well or stayed patient and waited for the birdies to come. I was so in the zone today because I felt like anything could happen.”

Hamilton is one of the many success stories of the Sunshine Ladies Tour as it played a part in her journey to this milestone.

“I played some Sunshine Ladies Tour events last season and it means a lot thinking about how far I’ve come since last year. I didn’t have a full LET card, but with the Investec support of the Sunshine Ladies Tour there are good money events that enables us to earn and build our career, and that means a lot,” she said.

The Sunshine Ladies Tour Investec Order of Merit will only be concluded after the MCB Ladies Classic in Mauritius from 1-3 May 2026.

SCORES

277 – Esme Hamilton (ENG) 66 70 70 71
279 – Cara Gainer (ENG) 67 68 72 72
280 – Pia Babnik (SVN) 65 67 74 74
283 – Anna Morgan (USA) 67 70 74 72
283 – Brianna Navarrosa (USA) 67 71 73 72, Emma Spitz (AUT) 66 71 73 73
285 – Maha Haddioui (MAR) 70 70 74 71
285 – Alessandra Fanali (ITA) 70 70 74 71, Anna Huang (CAN) 71 70 70 74
286 – Kajsa Arwefjall (SWE) 69 69 77 71
286 – Lisa Pettersson (SWE) 70 69 76 71, Alexandra Forsterling (GER) 71 72 72 71, Sofie Kibsgaard (DEN) 70 73 72 71, Annabell Fuller (ENG) 71 68 75 72
287 – Alice Hewson (ENG) 68 72 76 71
287 – Anna Foster (IRL) 71 70 75 71, Anna Zanusso (ITA) 72 70 74 71, Amy Lee (USA) 68 73 73 73
288 – Cecilie Finne-Ipsen (DEN) 72 69 76 71
288 – Emma Falcher (FRA) 69 71 75 73, Hannah Screen (ENG) 70 72 76 70, Madelene Stavnar (NOR) 73 67 74 74, Meghan MacLaren (ENG) 68 71 72 77
289 – Pranavi Urs (IND) 70 73 74 72
289 – Justice Bosio (AUS) 70 74 72 73, Corinne Viden (SWE) 72 72 74 71, Celina Sattelkau (GER) 75 69 74 71, Ana Pelaez Trivino (ESP) 70 72 73 74
290 – Agathe Laisne (FRA) 68 76 72 74
290 – Amelia Garvey (NZL) 71 70 74 75, Luna Sobron Galmes (ESP) 71 67 76 76, Lydia Hall (WAL) 69 74 70 77, Amaia Latorre (ESP) 71 73 76 70
291 – Darcey Harry (WAL) 71 67 78 75
291 – Sara Kouskova (CZE) 75 67 75 74, Kirsten Rudgeley (AUS) 71 73 76 71
292 – Patricia Isabel Schmidt (GER) 63 76 77 76
292 – Diksha Dagar (IND) 68 72 76 76, Roberta Liti (ITA) 72 68 77 75, Olivia Mehaffey (NIR) 72 71 75 74, Aine Donegan (IRL) 70 72 76 74, Maria Parra (ESP) 71 70 74 77, Fernanda Lira (MEX) 68 76 75 73
293 – Smilla Tarning Soenderby (DEN) 65 73 78 77
293 – Gemma Clews (ENG) 73 69 77 74, Maddison Hinson-Tolchard (AUS) 71 71 77 74, Dorota Zalewska (POL) 70 72 77 74, Momoka Kobori (NZL) 72 70 77 74, Lois Lau (FRA) 70 74 76 73
294 – Emma Grechi (FRA) 66 73 77 78
294 – Caitlyn Macnab 70 71 75 78, Thalia Martin (ENG) 72 69 76 77, Tina Mazarino (NOR) 71 71 77 75, Alessia Nobilio (ITA) 66 77 77 74
295 – Nobuhle Dlamini (SWZ) 73 69 77 76
295 – Lily May Humphreys (ENG) 73 71 77 74
296 – Avani Prashanth (IND) 73 71 75 77
296 – Alexandra Swayne (ISV) 78 66 76 76
298 – Gabrielle Venter 71 73 74 80
300 – Carolin Kauffmann (GER) 73 70 74 83
300 – Ginnie Ding (HKG) 73 70 77 80, Amy Taylor (ENG) 72 72 81 75
302 – Kiera Floyd 72 72 76 82
302 – Luca Thompson (WAL) 70 73 80 79
303 – Lisa Coetzer (a) 71 70 84 78
304 – Lucie Malchirand (FRA) 71 72 79 82

Missed the cut:-

145 – Morgane Metraux (SUI) 73 72
145 – Camille Chevalier (FRA) 73 72, Harang Lee (ESP) 71 74, Aunchisa Utama (THA) 74 71, Casandra Alexander 70 75, Kelsey Bennett (AUS) 72 73, Lee-Anne Pace 74 71
146 – Agathe Sauzon (FRA) 74 72
146 – Gabriella Cowley (ENG) 73 73, Jess Baker (BRI) 76 70, Vani Kapoor (IND) 75 71, Blanca Fernandez (ESP) 72 74, Dorthea Forbrigd (NOR) 76 70
147 – Cara Gorlei 73 74
147 – April Angurasaranee (THA) 76 71, Vanessa Knecht (SUI) 76 71, Romy Meekers (NED) 74 73, Sanna Nuutinen (FIN) 74 73, Ayako Uehara (JPN) 74 73, Anne-Charlotte Mora (FRA) 75 72
148 – Tvesa Malik (IND) 74 74
148 – Charlotte Heath (ENG) 73 75, Katharina Mühlbauer (AUT) 73 75, Kaiyuree Moodley 75 73, Bobbi Brown 74 74, Nina Pegova (WHT) 73 75, Verena Gimmy (GER) 73 75, Marta Sanz Barrio (ESP) 73 75
149 – Zane Kleynhans 72 77
149 – Hitaashee Bakshi (IND) 72 77, Nadia van der Westhuizen 76 73, Amalie Leth-Nissen (DEN) 78 71, Laura Beveridge (SCO) 77 72
150 – Ana Dawson (IMN) 75 75
150 – Lorna McClymont (SCO) 79 71, Jana Melichova (CZE) 75 75, Tandi McCallum 75 75, Lucie Vachova (CZE) 74 76, Moa Folke (SWE) 77 73, Hannah Burke (ENG) 79 71, Gudrun Bjorgvinsdottir (ISL) 73 77
151 – Marta Martin (ESP) 75 76
151 – Danielle du Toit 73 78, Lora Assad 75 76, Tereza Melecka (CZE) 70 81
152 – Kajal Mistry 74 78
153 – Louise Rydqvist (SWE) 75 78
153 – Jordan Rothman 75 78, Andrea Lignell (SWE) 77 76, Charlotte Millard (a) 78 75
154 – Hannah Darling (SCO) 80 74
154 – Isabella Ferreira (a) 76 78
156 – Symone Henriques 81 75
157 – Patricie Mackova (CZE) 77 80