12th May 2021 | Sunshine Ladies Tour
Hall gunning for top spot at Westlake
12 May 2021 – Casandra Hall has Lee-Anne Pace firmly in her sights as she heads into the business end of the Sunshine Ladies Tour season, and the lucrative Investec South African Women’s Open at Westlake Golf Club this week.
A win at the Joburg Ladies Open in the fourth event and a runner-up finish in last weekend’s Dimension Data Ladies Challenge has propelled Hall into serious contention.
The 21-year-old Hall is 140 points and one place behind Pace in the current Investec Order of Merit, but with 8, 000 points on offer in the Ladies European Tour co-sanctioned event, this is the week where she has to rein in her biggest rival.
It’s the end of the Sunshine Ladies Tour. It’s the start of the Ladies European Tour. Any way you look at it, Hall is in the best position of her career going into this week.
“I really want to do well; I want to win,” said the in-form Glendower golfer. “On the one hand there is the chance to etch your name into Sunshine Ladies Tour history; on the other, the opportunity to make a fast start to the Race to Costa del Sol. There is so much on the line. It’s massive actually, when you add the four exemption spots for the U.S. Women’s Open.”
Victory this week translates into a pay day of just over R500 000, plus exemption on the Ladies European Tour for the remainder of the 2021 season and the 2022 season.
A strong performance could shoot Hall straight to the summit of the Investec Order of Merit, an honour which comes with a bonus prize of R100 000. And, if the winner this week is South African, she will bank an additional bonus worth R100 000 for Investec’s new Homegrown Award.
“And then the four spots for the U.S. Women’s Open; it’s absolutely massive,” Hall said.
“You have to be really careful not to get caught up in it all with so many incentives on the table. You can’t be thinking about that stuff on the first tee. You just have to make every shot out there the priority. But I’m determined to give it everything I’ve got this week and hopefully it leaves me standing in the winner’s circle on Sunday.”
The former SA Women’s Stroke Play champion worked hard during the lockdown to ensure her game is up to the task.
“There was a lot of grinding and working on my fitness and making sure the game was in good shape when we kicked off at the Cape Town Ladies Open and I’m really happy with the outcome so far.
“It would be great to win this week. To be able to play all the events on the Ladies European Tour and not have weeks off between the events I qualify for would be a dream come true. And to win the first Investec Homegrown Award.
“But winning the Order of Merit says something special. You have to play great throughout the season. You have to have a lot of good finishes, which is what I’ve done this year. I’ve put myself in contention a few times. I didn’t miss a cut and I played really solid golf. I’m coming into the final event with a chance to do something not many girls get to do. There’s only one Investec Order of Merit winner each year. To have a chance is great.”
Hall is well aware that Pace will be pushing for the same result.
“Lee-Anne is in a familiar position and she is gunning for her fourth Investec South African Women’s Open title, so she will be motivated and tough to beat; fortunately I’m in position to chase her down,” Hall said.
Pace has certainly enjoyed a resurgence to form this season and nine-time Ladies European Tour winner broadcast her intent to chase down victory at Westlake loudly when she came within one putt of claiming a record 14th Sunshine Ladies Tour twice this season.
“When you play with Lee-Anne you really get a sense of her experience and the expertise with which she can shape the ball. She has only improved this season, and her toe injury is not a factor anymore, so I definitely expect her to be in contention,” Hall said.
“The biggest lesson I’ve learned this year is that you can’t do anything about how your opponents play. If someone comes out hot, you can only respond by playing your own best game. And you have to play the course, not the players. I’m in a strong head space and my game is feeling good. So that’s what I’m taking on the course this week. And hopefully it’s enough.”
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30th April 2021 | Sunshine Ladies Tour
Heaven for Hall as she takes the Joburg Ladies Open
30 April 2021 – Casandra Hall sealed a hard-fought for Sunshine Ladies Tour victory when she prevailed in an epic tussle with Lee-Anne Pace, to win the Joburg Ladies Open by one shot at Soweto Country Club on Friday.
“I am absolutely delighted,” said the smiling 21-year-old. “I won twice on the Vodacom Origins of Golf Series and the Investec Royal Swazi Ladies Open at Sun City, but all of those were against a handful of players. This feels like a maiden win; beating a full field is an incredible feeling.”
The Glendower golfer was paired with the Tour’s most prolific winner Pace, who held a two-shot overnight lead and was targeting a 14th title on Africa’s premier women’s professional circuit.
“We arrived in the rain to find a water-logged course and we didn’t think we’d play. Hats off the green staff and the Sunshine Ladies Tour officials, who worked so hard to make it happen. Play was delayed by two and a half hours, but finally we got going,” explained the 2021 champion.
“The course played a lot different to the first two days. The fairways were softer and not running as much and the greens were sitting. I actually got frustrated because now that you could target the pins, I wasn’t hitting fairways and didn’t have shots into the greens.
“We both had a couple of dropped shots, but I just kept pushing on and tried my best to stay patient.”
Hall dropped on the first hole, Pace on the second. When Pace bogeyed the fourth, Hall’s brace of birdies on the third and fourth holes handed her the lead for the first time, but she lost the advantage when she incurred a penalty at the par four fifth.
“I was in bunker and I hit out. I thought I was in the fairway, so I marked and picked up the ball, but my playing partner Maiken (Bing Paulsen) came over and she didn’t think it was in the fairway. We called a rules official and unfortunately I got a one-shot penalty. I was already making bogey already, and ended up with a double.”
The gap shrunk again when Pace dropped on the sixth, but Hall bogeyed the eighth. “When we walked past the leaderboard, I realised I was only one shot behind,” Hall said. “I knew I’d have to knuckle down and chase hard.”
“Lee-Anne made five straight pars, but I birdied the par-5 (13th) to draw level. I dropped again on 14, but then she dropped on the next hole and we were level again. The last four holes were tense. That putt on 18 was nerve-wracking, but I made it to come away with a W.”
Hall got into the Saudi Ladies International on the Ladies European Tour late last year, where she holed the winning putt for the International Team in the Team Competition. She came home inspired and more determined to make this season of the Sunshine Ladies Tour count.
“I worked really hard on my game, with my mental coach and in the gym. You can’t put all that effort in without reward, so I stayed positive and patient,” said Hall. “It’s a great feeling to get this win with the Dimension Data Ladies Challenge and the Investec SA Women’s Open still coming up. It’s given me a lot of confidence, knowing I can beat a full field, as well.”
Hall’s R70 000 pay-day also came with a healthy dose of ranking points. She moved to second in the Investec Order of Merit, while Pace’s runner-up finish pushed her to summit. She leads with 950 points and is 140 points ahead of Hall.
Paulsen placed sixth in her first start at the Gary Player Country Club last week and secured a third place finish on three-over with a closing 74 at Soweto Country Club. The Norwegian moved into the eighth spot in the rankings.
SuperSport Ladies Challenge winner Michaela Fletcher is fourth in the points standings after carding a solid 73 in the final round to take fourth place on four-over.
Defending champion Monique Smit and eSwatini’s Nobuhle Dlamini, the champion in 2019, both carded level par rounds to tie for fifth on five-over with French golfer Astrid Vayson De Predenne, who recorded 74.
The Sunshine Ladies Tour next travels to the picturesque Garden Route and the eighth playing of the popular Dimension Data Ladies Challenge in George from 6-8 May. All three rounds will be contested on the Outeniqua Course at Fancourt. Prize money is R600 000, while the leading 10 pro-am teams will also contest for a R100 000 bonus prize.
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29th April 2021 | Sunshine Ladies Tour
Hall in hot pursuit of Pace in Joburg Ladies Open
29 April 2021 – Casandra Hall will be hounding Lee-Anne Pace as the LPGA Tour champion chases a record 14th Sunshine Ladies Tour title in the final round of the Joburg Ladies Open on Friday.
Pace carded a two-over 74 on a battling day in the wind at Soweto Country Club to finish on two-under 142. She leads by two from Hall, who returned a level par round of 72.
The 21-year-old Glendower golfer finished third in her first playing of the R500 000 event at its new home in Soweto and were it not for a pair of double bogeys in last year’s final round, Hall would have post a top seven finish.
She began the day four shots behind overnight leader Pace, but a flawless front nine that featured three birdies on the bounce from the fourth pushed her into the lead. She kept in front of the pack with another gain on the par five 10th, but immediately lost the advantage with a bogey on the next hole and she left the door open for Pace with a trio of bogeys from 15.
“There are a lot of positives to take out of the round, because I really played the first 10 holes well. It was all going my way. I was putting myself in the right positions, but the back nine started off just a little bit slow,” said the 2020 Investec Royal Swazi Sun Ladies champion.
“I birdied 10 and wouldn’t say it went downhill from there, but I hit good shots and got some very unlucky bounces. It happens on this golf course. The bounces went my way on the front, not so much on the back.”
Hall said the windy conditions made club selection on the last nine holes extremely tricky.
“The greens are still very firm, so you can’t really attack the pins, especially not the ones on the front of the greens. They are a little softer and easier to score on in the mornings, but they dry out in the afternoon.
“The fairways are running really nicely, though, and that leaves you a lot of short irons in. The course is not playing very long, but with the wind blowing on the back, it was that much longer and harder to score. You’re never going to stop the ball downwind on these greens. I’m a little disappointed but I’m still in a strong position with 18 holes to go.”
Pace was equally frustrated, but more with herself than the course.
“No, I am not happy about my day,” said the nine-time Ladies European Tour champion. “I feel like I played really well, but I didn’t stick it close and I hit the wrong clubs all day. At least I came back with three birdies in a row from 12, which was nice.
“It’s a tough course anyway and when the wind comes up like it did today, it only gets tougher out there. We were playing a two-club wind on the last couple of holes, and stopping anything downwind on the firm greens is a challenge.
“With a difficult course like this, you really have to play strategically and the wind made club selection really difficult. I made a mistake on 15 where I should have hit driver and gone for the green, but I laid up and paid the price. And took another wrong club on 17 and dropped again. I got a little annoyed with myself, but I’m happy that at least I am still up there.”
She is happy, though, with her overall game.
“I’m really happy with the way I’m swinging it,” said the 40-year-old. “I am striking the ball as good as I ever have and really shaping my shots nicely. The only thing really bothering me is this annoying sore toe. I bumped my foot against the bed post last week and it is very uncomfortable. But I will be going for a MRI next week and hopefully it’s nothing too serious. I’m building some nice momentum for the Dimension Data Ladies Challenge and the Investec SA Women’s Open and I’d be gutted if I had to put the brakes on my season right now.”
Paulsen matched Pace’s 74 to sit alone in third on one-over
Three-time Sunshine Ladies Tour winner Nicole Garcia returned a round of 72 to finish in fourth place on two-over. The Ebotse golfer is one shot ahead of last week’s SuperSport Ladies Challenge winner Michaela Fletcher and French pair Justine Dreher and Astrid Vayson de Pradenne.
Last year’s winner Monique Smit also played the second in level par, to finish on five-over alongside 2019 champion Nobuhle Dlamini, who shot 77. The pair share eighth place with Manon Gidali, who won the season-opening Cape Town Ladies Open, her compatriot Emie Peronnin and Kristyna Napoleaova from the Czech Republic.
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6th April 2021 | Sunshine Ladies Tour
Young guns ready to raise the bar on the Sunshine Ladies Tour
CAPE TOWN, 6 April 2021 – Alice Hewson’s winning putt in last year’s Investec South African Women’s Open on the Sunshine Ladies Tour summed it all up.
The 23-year-old English professional represented the emerging breed of young golfers primed to become a dominant force in the game for many years to come.
Casandra Hall – one of eight South Africans campaigning on the Ladies European Tour (LET), says Hewson’s winning performance at Westlake definitely inspired the country’s young talents to raise their game.
“Alice won the 2019 English Ladies Amateur, turned pro and won on debut here in South Africa. We definitely got the message that if you work hard and you make the most of the opportunities that come your way, the world can be your oyster.
“It may take some of us a little longer, but it was inspiring to watch someone our age defy the odds. She beat some seriously seasoned players at Westlake a lot of younger golfers like myself were motivated to level up this year.”
Hall finished her rookie season in 2019 in sixth spot on the Investec Order of Merit and her second season was equally solid.
A few months after a top 25 finish at Westlake, the Glendower golfer took a page out of Hewson’s book. The new kid on the block held off LET campaigners Nicole Garcia, Monique Smit, Stacy Bregman, Nobuhle Dlamini and Lejan Lewthwaite for her maiden success in the Investec Royal Swazi Open at Sun City.
“Although I won twice on the Vodacom Origins of Golf Series, we had spent so many months waiting out the lockdown, so to beat Sunshine Ladies Tour winners with my game still a bit rusty was the greatest feeling ever. It was great to tick that box,” said the 21-year-old Glendower golfer.
“It was frustrating to sit with a new LET card and not being able to travel to Europe, but 2020 was still a great year for me. I had the win at Sun City and I was the first woman to play on the Virtual Sunshine Tour series. In November I made the field for the Saudi Ladies International and although I didn’t do well in the individual competition, I did hole the winning putt for the International Team in the Team Competition and I flew home after a pretty decent pay-day.
“I am so excited to step it up another gear this season and win one of the six tournaments, if not two. I’d really like to win the Investec SA Women’s Open. It’s the one title we all want, but it also comes with some incredible perks, like the LET exemption. The prize money is huge and, as a South African, you’d also bank the R100 000 Investec Homegrown Award. That would go a long way in setting me up for Europe this season.”
Hall will start her title chase in the Cape Town Ladies Open at Royal Cape Golf Club on Wednesday, but she expects some tough competition.
“Besides all the seasoned pros, you have the likes of Ivanna Samu, Zethu Myeki, Cara Gorlei, Michaela Fletcher and Brittney Fay-Berger, who will all looking for a fast start,” said Hall.
“Ivanna was one of our best amateurs and she made a great start in the pro ranks, but then she suffered a back injury and a battle with cancer. She fought really hard to come back and she will be so eager to push the reset button.
“The others had all just started their pro careers when the pandemic struck so they will be just as keen to get out of the blocks fast. It’s going to get interesting this week.”
Randpark’s Myeki is also ready to push the reset button, especially after losing her brother to the corona virus just before New Year.
“The vibe this morning at Royal Cape during the practice round was electric. You could literally feel the excitement in the air. We are all amped to get the season going and I think this year we will see a lot of players’ answer the Sunshine Ladies Tour to level up,” she said.
“I am personally really excited about this season. I had to put my plans for Europe on ice, so I am going all out. I want to learn as much as I can. I want to soak up experience and I want to win.”
Myeki, who represented South Africa on the international stage seven times, was thrilled to see a 17-strong amateur field led by reigning SA Women’s Amateur and GolfRSA No.1 Caitlyn Macnab tee it up in the season-opener.
“The Sunshine Ladies Tour is the best platform for these girls to test themselves and get a realistic look at where their games are, and of course, to gain experience. We lost so many great amateurs because there wasn’t a professional circuit around to transition from amateur golf up to 2014. I was so fortunate that I could play the circuit as an amateur to prepare me for the next level and I hope they also embrace this opportunity with both hands,” Myeki said.
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5th March 2020 | Sunshine Ladies Tour
Bregman, Hall give chase at Jabra Ladies Classic
5 March 2020 – Ashleigh Buhai signed for a three-under 69 to retain the lead on Thursday, but Stacy Bregman and local fan favourite Casandra Hall are hot on her heels with 18 holes to play in the R600 000 Jabra Ladies Classic at Glendower Golf Club.
Buhai could not quite hit the heights of a blistering 63 on day one, but another flawless trip around the championship layout kept her at the summit. She will start the final round on 12-under-par 132, four shots clear of Bregman, who returned a bogey-free 68.
Hall – the Sunshine Ladies Tour’s most recent Ladies European Tour graduate – hauled herself into the chasing pack with a joint best of the day 66 to finish four shots adrift on eight-under.
Scotland’s Jane Turner, who visited the winner’s circle just two weeks ago at San Lameer, reeled in a trio of birdies over the last six holes for a 69 to move to fourth on four-under.
Kelsey Nicholas, who rallied after a nervous bogey-bogey start to keep pace with playing partners Buhai and Bregman, signed for 73 to finish alone in fifth on three-under, while last week’s Joburg Ladies Open winner Monique Smit is tied for sixth on two-under alongside 2019 Investec Order of Merit winner Nobuhle Dlamini from eSwatini, India’s Sharmila Nicollet and Rachel Rossel from Switzerland, who shared the low-round honours with Hall.
Buhai had a great start to the season with a fine top 13 finish in Australia before she was forced to return home when the LPGA Tour cancelled events in Thailand and Singapore due to health concerns about the Covid-19 virus.
She was pleased with her form over the first two days and looking forward to the final round battle.
“If it was offered, I would have taken 12-under before I teed off. I had a number in mind; I thought if I shot three rounds of four-under, I’d have a good chance to win,” the 30-year-old Buhai said. “I’m already at 12-under, but I’ll have to keep my foot on the gas in the final round. Stacy played really well and I saw that Cas also had a great second round. Stace and I grew up playing this course and its Casandra’s home course, so the local course knowledge is definitely coming into play.
“It helps that I know where the ball is going and stayed patient, because I didn’t have to chase. The pins were a little more tucked today and I didn’t hit it as close, so you play to the big spaces and work it into the flag. If you don’t, at least you still have a putt.”
Bregman was chuffed with the result of her careful course management.
“I think nine-under is a great score. Glendower is a tough test; it’s a true test golf. You have to hit fairways and you have to put yourself on the right side of the flag to score well and I’ve done that well for the last two days,” said the Country Club Johannesburg golfer.
“It’s been a while since I struck it this good and it’s coming at the right time of the season. A win this week gets you into the Jabra Ladies Open, which is the qualifier for the Evian Championship. Next week, we have the Investec SA Women’s Open, co-sanctioned with the Ladies European Tour (LET). I want to perform well at Westlake and take that form to our next LET event in Saudi.
“My wedge-play has been really good and I’m holing a lot more putts. The greens here are really good and fast and if you read it good and hold you lines, you can get it going. This course has its challenges, but it’s also fair, because there is always a side to miss it. I worked really hard in the off-season with my new coach and it’s so good to see it all come to fruition here in the Jabra Ladies Classic. I’ll need to shoot four- to five-under to beat Ash, because she is just playing fantastic golf at the moment, but I’m really happy with the direction my game is moving.”
Hall attributed her sizzling 66 to a strong iron-game.
“I saw my coach Robbie Stewart after I got back from the LET Q-School in Spain and we worked on my game up,“ she said. “I hit a few bad drives, but I missed it in the rights spots. I didn’t sink many amazing birdie putts, but I hit my irons unbelievably well, I was throwing darts at the pins all day.
“After all the rain the course, and the greens, are a lot softer than last week. It’s a big change and that has really helped me to attack the flags. But I also love the course. It’s my home course and it sets up nicely for me, especially the faster greens, which I love.”
The course also suited South African Longest Drive champion Lenanda van der Watt, who fired three birdies and eagled the tough par five 13th for a flawless five-under 67 that catapulted the Pretoria golfer from joint 37th to a tie for 10th.
“I drove the ball incredibly well and I hit every fairway. My wedge-play was good, too and I only missed two greens all day. I needed a low round to make the cut, and now I just have to do it all over again tomorrow so I can play myself into the field for the Investec SA Women’s Open.”
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25th February 2020 | Sunshine Ladies Tour
Soweto Country Club in top condition for Joburg Ladies Open
25 February 2020 – The Sunshine Ladies Tour campaigners were full of praise for the Soweto Country Club green-keeping staff ahead of Wednesday’s first round of the R500 000 Joburg Ladies Open.
Seeing the course for the first time, three-time champion Nicole Garcia was positively gushing about the greens.
“I didn’t play last year because I was still on the bench after my hip surgery. The girls told me that the greens were incredibly firm, and the fairways were still patchy but I saw none of that today,” said the Ebotse golfer – the most recent trophy recipient after a double victory in the Canon Serengeti Par-3 Challenge on Sunday.
“I was so pleasantly surprised. The course is a great test like every other Gary Player design and the greens are beautiful. The green-staff must have worked incredibly hard in the last 12 months. You can go for a lot of the pins this year, and we will see a lot more birdies. Everyone that played last year can’t stop gushing. The staff can be so proud of what they have achieved in just a short year.”
Three-time winner Monique Smit echoed Garcia’s sentiments.
“It was amazing to see the difference,” exclaimed the Oubaai golfer. “I told my caddie – the same one I had this year – walking to the first tee that we will have to plan for the firm greens, but they have settled so incredibly well. The greens are receptive and the fairways have grown in nicely. It was super-fun playing the pro-am, and watching our seeing our partners making birdies.
“This is probably one of the tightest courses we play all season, and you are going to have to keep it in play and stay out of the trees if you want to go low. Keep finding the greens. Keep it simple.”
Former South African Open champion Tandi McCallum and rookie Casandra Hall chased champion Nobuhle Dlamini all the way to the finish line last year and both players will be gunning for success.
McCallum, second last year, already wore the bridesmaid tag twice this season.
The Parkview golfer lost the SuperSport Ladies Challenge to Lejan Lewthwaite in a play-off and, this time partnering Lethwaite, they were beaten by Garcia and Scottish golfer Gabrielle Macdonald in a four-hole play-off in the Canon Serengeti Par-3 Challenge Pro-Am.
Although she was peppering the flags in the final round at Serengeti, McCallum’s putter wouldn’t cooperate. “I had two chances in the play-off to win it with birdies, and the putts died on me. I spent some quality time with the flat-stick on Monday and I’m ready to fire. I’m driving the ball really well, so I’m confident that I can keep it play. And the girls are raving about how the greens have matured, so hopefully it’s third time lucky for me.”
Hall returned from Spain in January with a brand-new Ladies European Tour card in her pocket.
She is still chasing a maiden Sunshine Ladies Tour title and this week and the R600 000 Jabra Ladies Classic next week at her home course, possibly represents her best two chances. Third in last year’s event, the Glendower pro is keen to rekindle her love affair with Soweto Country Club.
“A lot of people didn’t like the course last year, but I loved it from the word go and it’s even better this year. I love the layout; it suits my game. The pressure will probably be a bit more this year with so many international players in the field, but competing on the Vodacom Origins series last year helped me settle into the pro environment. I survived the LET Q-School, so I’m ready to fight.”
If she can channel some positive energy, hit it straight and roll in some putts, Hall could very well be crowned the sixth Joburg Ladies Open champions on Friday.
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16th October 2019 | Sunshine Ladies Tour
Dlamini dominates in wind to lead at Selborne
SELBORNE, 15 October 2019 – Nobuhle Dlamini lined up her fourth victory this season when she tamed the wind to take the lead in the Vodacom Origins of Golf Series at Selborne Golf Estate, Spa and Hotel on Tuesday.
Teeing off in a three-to-four club wind that raced around the championship layout on the KwaZulu-Natal coast, the big-hitting Swazi golfer was in imperious form.
Dlamini fired six birdies, including three over the four closing holes, to offset a double bogey at the par five third and further drops on six and 17 and a two-under-par 70 propelled the 2019 Investec Property Fund Order of Merit winner straight to the top of the leaderboard.
The 36-hole women’s event is played concurrently with the Vodacom Origins of Golf Pro-Am and serves as the curtain-raiser for Sunshine Tour’s main tournament.
Dlamini leads by three shots from Sunshine Ladies Tour regular Lauren Taylor and is five shots clear of reigning SA Women’s Masters champion Lejan Lewthwaite.
Taylor got off to a birdie start and eagled the third. The English golfer three-under after 10 holes, but she gave shots back to the field with successive bogeys on 12 and 13 and dropped a further three shots after a final birdie on the par four 14th to post a one-over 73.
Lewthwaite overcame a bogey-bogey start with birdies on three and nine and made two more on the bounce after the turn to dip two-under, but her good work was undone with double bogeys on 14 and 15 and a third bogey on 16 will see the Serengeti golfer start the final round on three-over.
Jane Turner withstood the wind for three days at the Wild Coast Sun Country Club to win the 2019 SuperSport Ladies Challenge, presented by Sun International, but the Scottish golfer also had trouble navigating the strong winds on Tuesday and carded four-under 76 to finish fourth.
Serengeti’s Casandra Hall – already a two-time winner in the Vodacom Origins of Golf Series – posted 82 and fellow rookie Brittney-Fay Berger from Kloof Country Club signed for 83.
More wind is forecast for today’s final round, but a later start could see the chasing pack go low enough to catch Dlamini.
Written and released by Lali Stander.