Super Strauss seals LPGA Tour card

South Africa’s former number one ranked amateur Bertine Strauss will make her pro debut alongside Lee-Anne Pace, Ashleigh Simon and Paula Reto on the LPGA Tour in 2016 after crossing the final hurdle in the LPGA Tour’s Final Stage Qualifier this weekend.

The 23-year-old from Koster carded rounds of 69, 73, 72 and 70 on the Hill and Jones Courses at the LPGA International in Daytona Beach to make the 72-hole cut to the low 70 players. She closed with a 71 for a total score of five-under par 355 and tied for 15^th – finishing well within the top 20 players who secured their cards for womens golf’s biggest stage next season.

“I am extremely excited that I got the job done and that I will be competing on the LPGA Tour next year,” Strauss said.

“This has been a goal a long time in the making and it is really gratifying to have accomplished this on my first try. First things first, I am coming home to enjoy my family and friends over the festive break.

“I am really looking forward to making my pro debut on the Sunshine Ladies Tour. I wasn’t able to compete in the first two seasons, because it conflicted with college, but now I relish the chance to challenge in the Chase to the Investec Cup for Ladies.”

Strauss turned professional just after graduating from the University of Texas with a major in Psychology and minor in Business Administration.

During her final year with the Texas Longhorns, she anchored the women’s golf team and finished the season 72.52 scoring average, six top 10 finishes, victory in the PING/ASU Invitational in April and a host of other accolades.

Strauss made the WGCA All-America list and her other highlights included 2015 Big 12 Player of the Year, All Big 12 First Team and Academic All-Big 12 First Team.

She made her pro debut in the US Women’s Open in July and a month later, claimed her breakthrough in the paid ranks on the SunCoast Pro Tour at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California – the same venue where, just a week later, she took the medallist honour in the First Stage Qualifying School with a wire-to-wire victory.

Strauss came through the Second Stage Qualifier with fellow South African Stacy Bregman, however, the three-time Sunshine Ladies Tour winner failed to make the 72-hole cut.

PHOTO – Bertine Strauss; credit Mari Samu.