16th February 2024 | Sunshine Ladies Tour
Dawson leads the way at theDimension Data Ladies Pro-Am
GEORGE, Western Cape – After a day of very bad weather at Fancourt, with strong gales and torrential downpours, Ana Dawson was the only golfer to finish under-par after the first round of the Dimension Data Ladies Pro-Am and she had good reason to feel delighted.
Dawson, who hails from the Isle of Man, played the Outeniqua course in one-under-par 71 and so ended the opening day one stroke ahead of another three international golfers who finished on level-par: Germany’s Carolin Kauffmann, Scotland’s Kylie Henry and Englishwoman Lauren Taylor.
If the weather did not dampen Dawson’s mood then even a three-putt for bogey at the par-four last hole was not going to do it either.
“It was really hard weather and with all the delays, keeping your round going was probably the trickiest bit. It’s always a shame to three-putt the last, it leaves a bit of a sour taste, but I’m still very happy,” the 22-year-old Dawson said.
“If someone had offered me one-under today at the start of the round I would definitely have taken it. I had a nice draw because Outeniqua is a bit shorter and a bit more forgiving, but you still have to play well. I honestly hit just one bad shot today, but I struggled on the greens.”
Dawson enjoyed a fast start with a birdie on the par-four first hole, but she had to stay very patient thereafter as three pars were followed by a bogey on the par-four fifth. She birdied the sixth and eighth holes, but then dropped a shot at the ninth to turn in one-under.
The back nine was more grind with birdies on the 10thand 14th holes, but another bogey on the par-three 12th.
Dawson said the tough conditions actually suited her because it allowed her to take her time.
“It was quite slow out there, but in a way that was nice because it meant I didn’t have to try and rush, which has happened to me in the past. I felt I didn’t need to hurry at all today and that helped me. I really took my time and made sure everything was ready and right before I played,” Dawson said.
Henry and Taylor both took on the Montague course that is rated as being more difficult.
Henry was excellent on the front nine, going out in two-under, but the back nine bit back as she bogeyed three of the first four holes. A birdie on the par-five 18th was a great way to end though, restoring her to level-par.
Taylor recovered brilliantly from a disastrous front nine. After three pars, a double-bogey seven at the fourth would have knocked the wind out of her sails. She also dropped shots on the sixth and ninth holes, partially offset by a birdie on the par-three eighth, but the 29-year-old was three-over at the turn.
But Taylor stormed to three birdies in the first five holes of the back nine, not dropping any more shots on her way back to the clubhouse.
Kiera Floyd and Lejan Lewthwaite are the leading South Africans, tied in fifth place on one-over-par with Alexandra Swayne of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
SCORES:
71 – Ana Dawson (IMN)
72 – Carolin Kauffmann (GER), Kylie Henry (SCO), Lauren Taylor (ENG)
73 – Kiera Floyd, Lejan Lewthwaite, Alexandra Swayne (ISV), Corinne Viden (SWE)
74 – Lee-Anne Pace, Tandi McCallum, Jane Turner (SCO), Sideri Vanova (CZE), Harang Lee (ESP), Emily Penttila (FIN), Cara Gorlei
75 – Tara Griebenow, Stacy Bregman, Helen Kreuzer (GER), Elena Hualde (ESP)
76 – Anna Magnusson (SWE), Pasqualle Coffa (NED), Romy Meekers (NED), Nadia van der Westhuizen, Amy Taylor (ENG), Zethu Myeki, Gabrielle Venter
77 – Maiken Bing Paulsen (NOR), Julie Boysen Hillestad (NOR), Verena Gimmy (GER)
78 – Isabella van Rooyen, Anne-Lise Caudal (FRA), Clara Young (SCO), Tvesa Malik (IND)
79 – Kaleigh Telfer, Louise Duncan (SCO), Michelle Forsland (NOR)
80 – Brittney-Fay Berger, Bonita Bredenhann (NAM), Michele Thomson (SCO), Lora Assad, Ivanna Samu
82 – Vanessa Knecht (SUI), Danielle du Toit
84 – Emie Peronnin (FRA)
15th February 2024 | Sunshine Ladies Tour
Sunshine Ladies Tour has global appeal
GEORGE, Western Cape – The influx of international golfers on the Sunshine Ladies Tour is making it harder for South Africa’s women professionals to contend at home, but it’s a challenge that Lee-Anne Pace has welcomed.
The 2024 Sunshine Ladies Tour tees off its season at Fancourt this week with the R2.5 million Dimension Data Pro-Am on the Montagu and Outeniqua courses. The 54-hole tournament is played concurrently with the men’s Sunshine Tour’s Dimension Data Pro-Am.
The growth of the Sunshine Ladies Tour is reflected in the overwhelming international contingent competing this week.
“It’s nice to see the overseas support of the Sunshine Ladies Tour. It has grown a lot, but we are now finding it harder to win at home,” Pace said with a chuckle on the eve of Friday’s first round.
Of the 44 professionals in the field this week, 28 are from overseas.
“There’s a really strong overseas contingent coming to play and the fields on the Sunshine Ladies Tour seem to get stronger every week,” said Pace, who won this tournament in 2016 and finished second in a playoff in 2021.
“It’s a really good field this week and I think the scores are going to be quite a lot lower than last year. The courses are a bit softer than usual, and on the shorter side, so we can attack a little bit more. I think there are going to be a lot of birdies and as always, it’s going to come down to putting.”
Even though it is the start of the South African season, Pace is one of the players to bring some form into the event having finished in a tie for 11th at last weekend’s Magical Kenya Ladies Open, the first event of the new Ladies European Tour (LET) season.
“I felt really good on the last day and played really nicely for a 68, so I feel I do have a bit of form on my side,” Pace said.
Compatriot Cara Gorlei also finished in a tie for 11th and was leading the tournament before a 77 in the third round pushed her down the leaderboard.
This week’s field also includes France’s Anne-Lise Caudal, a two-time LET winner who finished second in last year’s Dimension Data Ladies Pro-Am, Germany’s Carolin Kauffmann, who finished fifth in last year’s Dimension Data Ladies Pro-Am, and Englishwoman Lauren Taylor, who has two top-10 finishes in this event.
South Africa’s challenge includes former champions Stacy Bregman and Lejan Lewthwaite.
9th February 2023 | Sunshine Ladies Tour
Garcia’s laughter exactly what Dimension Data Ladies Pro-Am is about
Nicole Garcia gets exactly what the Dimension Data Ladies Pro-Am is all about, and, with her success in other pro-am events around the world, that makes her one of the favourites for the Sunshine Ladies Tour event which tees off on Friday at Fancourt.
Each contestant will play one round on Montagu and Outeniqua at Fancourt, and the final round will be played on Montagu. The field is made up of 40 professionals. The cut will be to 20 players & ties, after round two. The professionals will each be paired with an amateur, and they will play betterball medal, with the best nett score to count. There will be a cut to the leading 10 teams at the conclusion of the second round.
Garcia led teams which won two of the Ladies European Tour’s Aramco Team Series events last year, and, being part of a team – as well as its leader – is right in her wheelhouse as one of the sunniest and most gregarious players on the circuit.
“I’m a people person,” said Garcia, “and when I play events like these, I get into helping people, and playing for something bigger than just myself. It’s good to get out of the isolation of being an individual professional golfer, and to interact with people for a cause.”
The purse has been bumped from R600,000 in 2021 to a staggering R2.5-million. In addition, the leading 10 teams on the final day will fight it out for the lion’s share of the R100,000 prize pot.
“With just 40 players in the field, and that fantastic growth in prize money, it’s more important than ever for players to support events like this,” said Garcia. “I’m even sacrificing a couple of practice days in Saudi Arabia ahead of next week’s tournament to support this event. It’s an opportunity to solidify the growth of the Sunshine Ladies Tour, and, hopefully, with continued growth in prize funds, the field for the tournament can grow too.”
With Garcia in the field is five-time Investec South African Women’s Open champion Lee-Anne Pace, and, while she faded last week at Sun City after a solid start, she should soon be back to her best and posing a formidable threat at the top of the leaderboard.
The foreign challenge is also formidable: Dorthea Forbrigd of Norway, France’s Camille Chevalier and Lily May Humphreys finished from second to fourth behind last week’s winner Casandra Alexander, and will relish the challenge posed by the Fancourt courses.
With Alexander off to Morocco for the Ladies European Tour tournament there, Cara Gorlei of South Africa is the leading South African player from last week’s tournament in the field at Fancourt, after she finished in a share of fourth with Chevalier.
But, after Pace, Garcia was next-best South African finisher last week, in a share of 10th. And expect her laughter to ring out around Fancourt as she supports one of the most important tournaments for the future of women’s professional golf in South Africa.
As Sunshine Tour commissioner Thomas Abt said, “The Dimension Data Pro-Am is one of our most important tournaments in both legacy and inclusion through its celebration of and commitment to the men’s and women’s game on the Sunshine Tour and Sunshine Ladies Tour, and we’re privileged to have Dimension Data as a longstanding sponsor and partner who shares our vision to keep driving the game forward and create opportunities for our professionals.”
29th January 2021 | Sunshine Ladies Tour
New dates set for 8th Sunshine Ladies Tour season
The Sunshine Ladies Tour announced its revised schedule for the 2021 season and will launch in April with a bumper run of six events, including an exciting format change for the season finale Investec South African Women’s Open.
“While the country was still in the throes of the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in January, we took a decision for the safety of our players to postpone the start of our eighth season. Our amazing sponsors, partners and host venues embraced this decision and we are excited to announce the new dates, starting in April,” said Sunshine Ladies Tour General Manager Pauli van Meersbergen.
The Cape Town Ladies Open will kick off the season at Royal Cape Golf Club from 7-9 April. Over the next four weeks, the tour will travel to Gauteng, Sun City and the Garden Route before returning to the Mother City for the season-finale.
The Jabra Ladies Classic celebrates its third season on the Sunshine Ladies Tour at Glendower Golf Club from 14-16 April, followed by the SuperSport Ladies Challenge presented by Sun International at the Gary Player Country Club from 21-23 April.
The sixth Joburg Ladies Open returns to its home at Soweto Country Club from 28-30 April and the annual Dimension Data Ladies Pro-Am – played concurrently with the Sunshine Tour’s Challenge Tour co-sanctioned Dimension Data Pro-Am – takes place from 7-9 May in George, before the tour circles back to the Mother City for the final showpiece.
“The Investec South African Women’s Open will once again be co-sanctioned with the Ladies European Tour,” Van Meersbergen added.
“Our flagship event will carry a prize fund of €200 000 (approximately R3.6-million) and Westlake Golf Club will host the event for a fourth consecutive year from 13-16 May. We are excited to announce that, for the first time on the Sunshine Ladies Tour, the tournament will be decided over 72 holes.
“We may be starting later than originally planned, but we are delighted to offer our members nearly R6-million in prize money, some exciting incentives and the race to the Investec Order of Merit bonus prize of R100 000.”
The 2021 Investec Order of Merit is based on a points system and the race for glory commences at the Cape Town Ladies Open and wraps up with the Investec South African Women’s Open.
Peta Dixon, Head of Sponsorships Investec SA, said:
“We at Investec take great pride in our involvement with the Sunshine Ladies Tour since 2014: Not only as the title sponsor of the Investec South African Women’s Open and the Investec Order of Merit, but also through our support of our players performing on the international stage. We strive to create platforms and opportunities that further develop women’s sport in South Africa and are proud of how The Sunshine Ladies Tour has grown in the last seven years. The increase in international participation speaks volumes of the high standard of competition.
“Thanks to the Sunshine Ladies Tour’s partnership with the Ladies European Tour, the format change of the Investec South African Women’s Open is now befitting the status of South Africa’s flagship event. As a 72-hole tournament, the Investec South African Women’s Open now joins the premier events on the international calendar.”
Margie Whitehouse, chair of the Women’s Professional Golf Association, said:
“We are very pleased for all the competitors that the 2021 season is going ahead. We look forward to seeing our top talents in action, to welcome the international campaigners to our shores and to offer our new crop of rookies and the young amateurs coming through the ranks a fantastic opportunity to gain invaluable experience to further their careers.”
2021 SUNSHINE LADIES TOUR REVISED SCHEDULE
APRIL
7-9 Cape Town Ladies Open
R200 000
Royal Cape Golf Club
14-16 Jabra Ladies Classic
R600 000
Glendower Golf Club
21-23 SuperSport Ladies Challenge presented by Sun International
R400 000
Gary Player Country Club
28-30 Joburg Ladies Open
R500 000
Soweto Country Club
MAY
7-9 Dimension Data Ladies Pro-Am
R600 000
R100 000 Better Ball Pro-Am
13-16 Investec South African Women’s Open*
€200 000
Westlake Golf Club
* co-sanctioned with the Ladies European Tour
14th December 2020 | Sunshine Ladies Tour
Sunshine Ladies Tour announces 2021 schedule
14 December 2020 – The Sunshine Ladies Tour today announced its 2021 schedule and women’s golf fans can look forward to six weeks of action, capped by the Investec South African Women’s Open from 18-20 March in the City of Cape Town.
The eighth season of the local women’s professional circuit launches with the Cape Town Ladies Open at Royal Cape Golf Club from 3-5 February.
Next up is the annual Dimension Data Ladies Pro-Am from 12-14 February. The eighth edition will boast a purse of R600 000, with an additional R100 000 up for grabs for the leading 10 teams in the Better Ball Pro-Am competition. The first two rounds will be played at George Golf Club and the final round will be contested at the Outeniqua Course at Fancourt.
From George, the circuit travels to Sun City for the SuperSport Ladies Challenge presented by Sun International, where the immaculate Gary Player Country Club – host venue of the 2020 South African Open Championship – will once again serve up an exciting challenge from 24-26 February.
The Sunshine Ladies Tour then spends two weeks in Johannesburg for the Joburg Ladies Open and the Jabra Ladies Classic before returning to the Mother City for the season-finale showpiece.
The popular Joburg Ladies Open makes its sixth appearance on the circuit from 3-5 March and returns to the Soweto Country Club for a third successive year. The following week, the Jabra Ladies Classic celebrates its third edition at Glendower Golf Club.
Westlake Golf Club will bring down the curtain on what promises to be another exciting season of building women champions when it hosts the country’s flagship event for a fourth successive year. The Investec South African Women’s Open will once again be co-sanctioned between the Sunshine Ladies Tour and the Ladies European Tour and carry a prize fund of €200 000 (approximately R3.6-million).
“Although we have a slightly shortened schedule in 2021, we are excited to offer our players some wonderful incentives next year,” said Sunshine Ladies Tour General Manager Pauli van Meersbergen.
“The 2021 Investec Order of Merit will commence with the Cape Town Ladies Open. It will be based on a points system and the winner at the conclusion of the Investec South African Women’s Open will receive a bonus prize of R100 000.
“At this time, we are unable to confirm the incentives on offer to the winners of the Jabra Ladies Classic and the Investec South African Women’s Open. However, once confirmed by the Ladies European Tour, they could result in life-changing opportunities for our players.
“These incentives will add up to huge rewards for the players supporting the Sunshine Ladies Tour and will undoubtedly make for another highly competitive season of inspiring feats, rousing shot-making and contests to savour.”
Sunshine Tour Commissioner Thomas Abt said it is wonderful to see the Sunshine Ladies Tour continue as strong as ever, despite the hardships golf in South Africa experienced in 2020.
“Since the Sunshine Ladies Tour launched in 2014, the circuit has blossomed and grown into a wonderful stage where the next generation can cut their teeth and build experience competing against the top talents from South Africa and abroad,” said Abt.
“Over the last seven years, the tour has showcased the talents of international champions Ashleigh Buhai and Lee-Anne Pace and campaigners Stacy Bregman, Nicole Garcia and our 2020 Investec Order of Merit winner Monique Smit.
“The Sunshine Ladies Tour has also proven highly successful in building future champions, including Lejan Lewthwaite, Nobuhle Dlamini and Casandra Hall, who are all competing on the Ladies European Tour now. The next generation have also greatly benefitted from the experience of competing at this level, with the likes of Zethu Myeki, Kajal Mistry, Kaiyuree Moodley, Caitlyn Macnab and Kaylah Williams all excelling at amateur level.
“The Sunshine Ladies Tour increasingly draws a growing pool of international competitors, who come out to South Africa to take advantage of our weather, our great golf courses and a highly competitive circuit at the start of the year. And our partnership with the Ladies European Tour provide our local players great opportunities to gain access to the international stage. We look forward to another successful Sunshine Ladies Tour in 2021.”
Margie Whitehouse, chair of the Women’s Professional Golf Association, welcomed the announcement.
“We are delighted that the Sunshine Ladies Tour will celebrate its eight season in 2021,” said Whitehouse. “Despite the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and nationwide lockdown, we will host a strong run of tournaments next year thanks to the incredible loyalty of our sponsors and partners.
“Globally, golf has proven itself as a sport that can be played safely. The South African golf industry has adapted quickly to manage the restrictions and has the operational experience and established GolfRSA Covid-secure practices to guarantee that the 2021 Sunshine Ladies Tour can tee off with great success next year.”
Peta Dixon, Head of Sponsorships Investec SA, said Investec is proud of their continued involvement with the Sunshine Ladies Tour.
“Investec threw its support behind the Sunshine Ladies Tour since its inception and it has been an encouraging and rewarding journey to witness the growth of the local women’s professional circuit over the last seven years,” Dixon said.
“Investec is honoured and delighted to partner the Sunshine Ladies Tour in showcasing the incredible talent of women in golf and to help our golfers achieve the opportunity to compete on the global stage. We are invested in the next generation of women and we believe that these athletes should be recognised for their dedication and achievements. As the title sponsor of the Investec South African Women’s Open and the Investec Order of Merit, we proudly promote the growth and development of South African women in sport.”
2021 SUNSHINE LADIES TOUR SCHEDULE
FEBRUARY
3-5 Cape Town Ladies Open
R200 000 / Royal Cape Golf Club
12-14 Dimension Data Ladies Pro-Am
R600 000 / R100 000 Better Ball Pro-Am
George Golf Club / Outeniqua Course at Fancourt
24-26 SuperSport Ladies Challenge presented by Sun International
R400 000 / Gary Player Country Club
MARCH
3-5 Joburg Ladies Open
R500 000 / Soweto Country Club
10-12 Jabra Ladies Classic
R600 000 / Glendower Golf Club
18-20 Investec South African Women’s Open*
€200 000 / Westlake Golf Club
* Ladies European Tour co-sanctioned
16th February 2020 | Sunshine Ladies Tour
Lewthwaite goes wire-to-wire in Dimension Data Ladies Pro-Am
16 February 2020 – Lejan Lewthwaite slept on the lead for two straight nights and on Sunday she finished the job – winning the R600 000 Dimension Data Ladies Pro-Am at Fancourt by eight shots.
It was a second successive triumph for the Benoni golfer, who claimed a play-off victory against Tandi Cunningham in the SuperSport Ladies Challenge, presented by Sun International, at the Gary Player Country Club last week.
Lewthwaite opened the tournament with a stunning six-under-par 66 at George Golf Club and produced a four-under 68 on her second trip around the scenic Parklands layout to carry an eight-shot lead into final round at the Outeniqua Course.
She got off to a birdie start and briefly gave the chasing pack a glimmer of hope when she bogeyed five and nine.
Defending champion Nobuhle Dlamini reeled in a trio of birdies before the turn, but her challenge faded with a bogey at the par five 11th. Emie Peronin from France also gave chase, as did former winner Stacey Bregman, but it was all too little, too late.
The 28 year old Lewthwaite, who had been remarkably poised all week, did not let adversity upset her rhythm and she restored her lead with back-to-back birdies on 10 and 11.
Having regained the momentum, the Serengeti member shut the door on her pursuers with further gains on 13 and 14 and came home with three solid pars for a one-over 73.
“I can’t describe how happy I am in this moment. For six days really, I played awesome golf; first at Sun City and then here in George. I am just so happy right now,” said Lewthwaite, cradling the trophy that comes with winner’s cheque worth R84 000.
No victory in professional golf comes easy, and wire-to-wire victories are perhaps even more difficult, as they require a player to deal with the inevitable thoughts of winning for days on end.
“I’d say I was pretty happy with my position after the first day, but I don’t allow myself to think too far ahead. I try very hard to stay in the moment as much as possible. I try to stick to my process and hit every shot where I plan to and make every putt count.
“I played another great round on the second day, and I thought to myself, ‘just continue with your strategy, your plan and the way you’re playing.’
“I did briefly wonder how it would feel if I won, and also what my strategy would be if the gap was reduced, but I always made sure I didn’t let my thoughts drift too far. It would be a fleeting thought, and then I’d be back in the zone.”
The victory cemented Lewthwaite’s number one spot in the Investec Order of Merit and she is another step closer to collecting the R100 000 bonus. She leads on 1 390 points and is nearly 500 points ahead of Dlamini.
Meanwhile Stacy Bregman carded 71 for a one-under total, making it a one-two finish for the Investec stable on one-under. Peronnin took third on level par and Dlamini had to settle for fourth on one-over after closing with 75.
Lewthwaite now travels to San Lameer Country Club with the Sunshine Ladies Tour, where she will gun for a hat-trick of titles when she takes up her title defence in the Standard Bank SA Women’s Masters.
“There will be some celebrations tonight, but probably not too late,” said Lewthwaite, who will also be celebrating a runner-up finish with amateur partner Marj Davidson.
The pair posted rounds of 66, 68 and 68 for an impressive 14-under total, but Lewthwaite lost out on an additional R30 000 pay-day to Sharmila Nicollet. The Indian golfer and her partner Nicci Taylor fired a superb 64 at the Outeniqua Course to seal victory on 15-under.
SOCIAL MEDIA
HASHTAG – #DDProAm
TWITTER – @SLadiesTour
FACEBOOK – @sunshineladiestour
INSTAGRAM – @sunshineladiestour
OTHER – #sunshineladiestour #InvestecGolf #itstartshere
Written and released by Lali Stander on behalf of the Sunshine Ladies Tour and WPGA.
15th February 2020 | Sunshine Ladies Tour
Former champs in pursuit at Dimension Data Ladies Pro-Am
15 February 2020 – No less than four former champions of the Dimension Data Ladies Pro-Am hope to chase down a red-hot Lejan Lewthwaite, who opened up an eight-shot lead in the second round at George Golf Club on Saturday.
Just one week after she had to fight Tandi McCallum in extra time to win the SuperSport Ladies Challenge presented by Sun International, Lewthwaite is on cruise-control in the R600 000 Sunshine Ladies Tour event.
The 28-year-old Serengeti golfer began day two with a four-shot advantage and moved clear of her competitors with a four-under 68.
Unlike the flawless production in the first round, Lewthwaite dropped three shots in her second trip around the traditional Parklands layout, but she countered every bogey with a pair of birdies and knocked in one more for comfort on the par five 16th.
“It was extremely hot out there today and I really struggled with the heat, especially when we had to wait on some holes. I duffed my tee shot on the ninth after a long delay and had a bogey, but managed to make a few putts coming home,” said Lewthwaite, who leads on 10-under 132.
Defending champion Nobuhle Dlamini finished a distant second, but she improved dramatically on her opening 74 with a six-under 68 to finish alone in second on two-under.
With the action moving to the Outeniqua Course at Fancourt – where the eSwatini golfer holed a 25-footer for birdie on the final hole to win last year – Lewthwaite is taking nothing for granted.
“If there is one thing you can’t control it’s what someone else is going to do,” said Lewthwaite. “Last year Nobby fired seven birdies to come from behind and win. She birdied the last two holes to beat me by two shots. So no, I’m not taking anything for granted. If Nobby gets her eye in early and the putter starts running hot, she will definitely come for me.”
And Dlamini is not the Investec-backed Lewthwaite’s only concern.
Granted, Monique Smit (2014), Stacy Bregman (2015) and Lee-Anne Pace (2016) are 10 shots off the pace in a tie for third with American Jordy LaBarbera, but the trio share 21 Sunshine Ladies Tour titles – with Pace taking her tally to 13 two weeks ago in the Cape Town Ladies Open.
“I don’t for a minute believe I’ve got this in the bag. A bogey here, a double bogey there and an eight-shot lead can evaporate quickly,” she said.
“I’m just going to stick to my process. It’s something my mental coach Mark Fairbanks and I work on all the time. Play shot for shot, focus on making the best score on every hole, try to limit the bogeys and hopefully it goes well enough that I’m standing with the trophy at the end of the day.”
Among the quartet tied for third on level par, Smit produced the best second round when she signed for one-under 71. Pace carded successive rounds of 72, LaBarbera from Texas returned a 73 and Bregman followed her opening two-under 70 with a 74.
Bertine Faber – the last player to score three successive victories on the Sunshine Ladies Tour in 2016 – carded 70 to tie Vodacom Origins of Golf winner Casandra Hall (72) on one-over 145.
Lewthwaite will also have the added pressure of trying to win the R100 000 Pro-Am, sponsored by Cisco Systems.
Lewthwaite and Marj Davidson posted 68 to set the clubhouse target on 10-under.
A 67 from LaBrera and Madelein de Wet made it two at the top until local favourite Smit and Jenny Church combined for a blistering 65 to force a three-way tie at the top. Dlamini and Franci Coetzee were also on fire, carded 65 to move within two shots of the leaders.
PRO-AM LEADERBOARD (final top 10)
134 Lewthwaite / Marj Davidson 66 68; LaBarbera / Madelein de Wet 67 67; Smit / Jenny Church 69 65
136 Dlamini / Franci Coetzee 69 65
137 Nicollet / Nicci Taylor 71 66; Pace / Sharon Leith 68 69; Taylor / Mimi Franklin 67 70
138 Bredenhann / Linda Smith 72 66; Fletcher / Jo Morley-Joseph 69 69; Faber / Sandy Hird 69 69
SOCIAL MEDIA
HASHTAG – #DDProAm
TWITTER – @SLadiesTour
FACEBOOK – @sunshineladiestour
INSTAGRAM – @sunshineladiestour
OTHER – #sunshineladiestour #InvestecGolf #itstartshere
Written and released by Lali Stander on behalf of the Sunshine Ladies Tour and WPGA.
14th February 2020 | Sunshine Ladies Tour
Lewthwaite off to a flier in Dimension Data Ladies Pro-Am
14 February 2020 – Lejan Lewthwaite is bidding to become the first player in four years to win back-to-back Sunshine Ladies Tour titles after firing a leading six-under-par 66 on day one of the Dimension Data Ladies Pro-Am in George.
The Serengeti golfer, who won the SuperSport Ladies Challenge presented by Sun International at Sun City last week, has the chance to match Lee-Anne Pace and Bertine Faber, who recorded the last successive victories in 2016.
Lewthwaite signed for a flawless 66 at the George Golf Club to take pole position in the R600 000 event and grabbed a share of the lead in the R100 000 Ladies Pro-Am, backed by Cisco Systems, with amateur partner Marj Davidson.
The dynamic duo set the early target on six-under in the Betterball competition, which was match Hartebeespoort’s Lindi Coetzee and amateur Missy Hughes.
“We had such a great time out there, even when we both struggled at times and the putts just didn’t want to drop,” said Lewthwaite. “I really enjoy this format. We are both out there trying to put the best score together that we can, that you can manage, but there is a lot of banter and high fives and laughter, so you tend to stay pretty relaxed. It’s very different to competing in a straight stroke play event and it makes for a really nice change of pace.”
Lewthwaite leads by four from former champion Stacy Bregman, who carded four birdies and two bogeys in an up and down round 70.
American Jordy LaBarbera, former SA Women’s Masters champion Maria Beautell from Spain and Coetzee finished a further stroke adrift, while Cape Town Ladies Open champion Lee-Anne Pace and young gun Kelsey Nicholas share sixth on level par.
LaBarbera from Texas and Madelein de Wet tied for third on five-under with Lauren Taylor from England and amateur Mimi Franklin.
Rookie Tara Griebenow and Joanne Shields posted four-under late in the afternoon to force a three-way tie for fifth with Pace and Sharon Lee and India’s Sharmilla Nicollet and her partner Nicci Taylor.
Lewthwaite got off to a birdie start on the par four 10th and picked up her second gain on the short 15th to turn two-under. It was on inward loop where the magic started to happen.
“To be honest, I really wasn’t hitting the ball well over the first 12 holes or so, but everything just kind of clicked into gear on the back nine,” said the Investec-backed golfer, who followed a birdie at the par five second with three more on the bounce from the sixth.
“I just holed a lot of putts today and that kept the momentum going. I missed a few fairways, but the short game was spot on. All my birdie putts were in the 15 to 20 foot range and all my chips landed within three to four feet.”
Lewthwaite entered the winners’ circle for the first time after beating amateur Kajal Mistry in a one-hole play-off at the South African Women’s Masters at San Lameer Country Club last year. And it took another extra hole to win at the Gary Player Country Club after she tied former South African Women’s Open champion Tandi McCallum for the lead in regulation play.
Retaining her Ladies European Tour card for the 2020 season, winning at Sun City and signing a sponsorship deal with TaylorMade South Africa has Lewthwaite oozing with confidence.
“It’s been an incredible start to the season and I am very careful not to let the stuff off the course influence me on the course. It’s easy to get caught up and lose focus, so I am sticking to the basics so I can hit the shots I need to hit.”
Lewthwaite said the Dimension Data Pro-Am and the Investec South African Women’s Open has been on her mind since the season launched in Cape Town a fortnight ago.
“I lost by two shots to Nobuhle (Dlamini) last year, so you can bet your bottom dollar that I want to hit a winning putt at the Outeniqua Course on Sunday,” she said. “The Dimension Data Ladies Pro-Am is one of the most popular events on the circuit. We play for big money and winning would give me a huge leg-up in the Investec Order of Merit.
“My game is also taking shape and building the kind of form I want to take to Westlake and then on to the Ladies European Tour. I’m in a good head-space right now and I just want to keep on improving.”
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Written and released by Lali Stander on behalf of the Sunshine Ladies Tour and WPGA.
15th February 2019 | Sunshine Ladies Tour
Bold move lands Mistry share of Dimension Data lead
Former GolfRSA Elite Squad member Kajal Mistry from Randpark birdied the final hole at George Golf Club to grab a share of the first round lead in the Sunshine Ladies Tour Dimension Data Challenge; credit Sunshine Ladies Tour / Thinus Maritz.
15 February 2019 – Randpark amateur Kajal Mistry stole the headlines on Friday after she birdied the closing hole at George Golf Club to tie Marion Duvernay from France for the Sunshine Ladies Tour Dimension Data Challenge lead on Friday.
Recent Serengeti Team Championship winner Duvernay’s sub-par 71 went uncontested for most of the opening round, triggering hopes of a French double on South African soil. But the 18-year-old Mistry – playing in the final group – hit two great shots at the final hole and boxed a five-foot putt to force her way to the top of the leaderboard.
“I took driver off the tee and left myself 131 metres to the pin middle back,” said the former GolfRSA Elite Squad member who cancelled bogeys at seven and eight with birdies at nine and 13.
“I don’t how it happens, but somehow is always above your feet at this golf course. I had to take that in account and, coming from altitude in Johannesburg, I had do recalculate the distance. I played it about 140-ish and I wanted to leave myself with an uphill putt, so I hit a full 8-iron in. It landed pin-high left and as soon as I saw the line, I knew I could sink it.”
South Africa’s former number one amateur matriculated from Crawford College Lonehill last year and is heading to the University of Arkansas on a golf scholarship in August.
“Golf had to take a back seat last year, so it’s great to be out here, competing again,” said the Ernie Els and Fancourt Foundation member. “I got the rust off with a top 20 in the Canon Sunshine Ladies Tour Open and I played nice, steady golf today. I hit 10 fairways and 13 greens today, but I was never in any real trouble. No bushes and no lost balls, just a steady round. I have to admit it’s great to be in the hunt again.”
Marion Duvernay from France shares the first round lead in the Sunshine Ladies Tour Dimension Data Challenge; credit Tyrone Winfield
By contrast, the French golfer handed in a rather colourful card that featured six birdies.
“I made some great birdies over the first nine holes, and had only the one bogey, but I had a bit of a bogey run coming back,” said Duvernay, who turned three-under.
“I dropped 12 and 13, finally birdied a par five (14) and made a double at 15. I missed the green and had to chip from thick rough, but I only moved the ball a metre with my first chip. I gave the second one a good whack and two-putted. I was very happy with the birdie at 17 to get back in red numbers.”
Duvernay showed her mettle in team events when she partnered compatriot Flora Peuch to victory at Serengeti Estates last week. The Evian Resort golfer dovetailed to perfection with amateur Joanne Govender for a six-under-66 that netted the pair a share the lead in the Betterball competition.
“When I hit the bogey train, Joanne really pulled us through,” said Duvernay. “She made three birdies in a row from 12 to keep the momentum going. And we had a lot of laughs. It’s such a fun format.”
Niinja Liias from Finland finished level-par to tuck in just behind the leading pair, avoiding the crush at one over par.
Lejan Lewthwaite and Bertine Faber both carded rounds of 73 to lead the local challenge and were joined by French pair Emilie Piquot and Anne-Lise Caudal, English campaigner Rachael Goodall and rookie Sophie Lamb, also from England.
South Africa’s Ivanna Samu and Brittney-Fay Berger completed the top 10 on two over alongside Pasqualle Coffa from the Netherlands.
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Written and released by Lali Stander on behalf of the Sunshine Ladies Tour and WPGA.ng or copying it.
6th February 2019 | Sunshine Ladies Tour
French Flair seals success at Serengeti Teams
6 February 2019 – Marion Duvernay and Flora Peuch became the first French winners on the Sunshine Ladies Tour with a wire-to-wire performance in the inaugural Serengeti Team Championship on Wednesday.
The French pair posted rounds of 46 and 38 for a total of 85 points to win the first golf team event with a three-point margin at Serengeti Estates.
Duvernay and Peuch made a fast start to the tournament as they burned up the front nine of the Jack Nicklaus signature course on day one. They fired five birdies and surged into the lead with an eagle from Duvernay at the par five eighth. Another eagle from the Evian Resort golfer and further brace of birdies earned them a three-point lead over English pair Kiran Matharu and Ellie Givens.
South Africa’s Ivanna Samu and partner Lauren Taylor from England finished a further shot adrift.
Admittedly, the French duo couldn’t replicate their first round fireworks on the last day, but they staved off the chasing pack with birdies at three, five, eight, 11 and 15.
“Things went a bit south for us at 16,” said Peuch, a third season Sunshine Ladies Tour campaigner.
“Marion hit her drive in the bush and of course, I followed her. We had to make a recovery, but it’s a pretty long par five. She went for the green from 235 metres, but didn’t make it. She had to take a penalty drop after going in the water, so I laid up and chipped in.
“Then I three-putted and Marion didn’t make her bogey putt either, so we had to take a zero for the double bogey. We took it on the chin and just tried to play the last two holes in pars and make no more mistakes.”
Peuch made sure of a par at 17 and Duvernay, whose approach pitched on the lower tier of the huge green, lagged her birdie putt to two inches from the hole. She tapped in for par to seal the win.
“We are so excited about this win,” gushed Duvernay, who made her debut on the South African circuit with a top eight finish in last week’s Canon Sunshine Ladies Tour Open.
“When the team event was added to the schedule, we entered immediately. We played a lot of team golf as amateurs, but there are just a few team events on the pro circuit. It was a great tournament on a fantastic golf course and we are thrilled to own our first Sunshine Ladies Tour trophies.
“The vibe was fantastic and it was a great way for us foreigners to meet the South Africans and other internationals. We saw a lot of high fives and hugging and laughing going on. Flora and I are travelling together for the full nine weeks, so this was a very good test for our friendship, too.
“Flora has told me that the Dimension Data Ladies Pro-Am is another great event, but the courses are quite tough. This has been a really good warm-up for George and hopefully one of us can keep the winning streak going.”
Samu and Taylor shared second on 83 points with Shawnelle de Lange and Pasqualle Coffa.
Rookies Catherine Lau & Georgia Oboh from Nigeria tied for third on 82 with Givens and Matharu, as well as Tandi McCallum and Kim Williams from South Africa.
South Africa’s De Lange and Coffa from the Netherlands fired a staggering nine birdies on the last day to take the low round honours with 45 points. “I met Shawnelle last week at Irene and we clicked straight-away,” said Coffa. “We decided to pair up for the team event and we really dovetailed well, especially in the final round.
“For every birdie I sunk, she answered with one. I struggled a bit last week and shot 80 in the final round at Irene, but this tournament gave me a chance to hit more free and to fire at the pins. I feel much more confident for George Golf Club and Fancourt next week.”
GolfRSA Elite Squad member Kiera Floyd from Ebotse Links and Kim de Klerk from Mossel Bay Golf Club posted rounds of 39 and 41 to take the Amateur honours with a top 10 finish on 80 points.
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Written and released by Lali Stander on behalf of the Sunshine Ladies Tour and WPGA.