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.”
8th May 2021 | Sunshine Ladies Tour
Skarpnord seals stunning play-off win at Fancourt
8 May 2021 – Marianne Skarpnord sealed the Dimension Data Ladies Open title in stunning fashion after a final round 70 gave her the chance to emerge triumphant in a four-way play-off in George.
On a sun-drenched final day in the Sunshine Ladies Tour showpiece on the Montagu Course at Fancourt, the Norwegian clinched her 10th professional title with two massive birdie putts in a dramatic final hour of play.
The first birdie, which came on the 18th in regulation play, left her tied for second on one-under-par 215, alongside reigning Joburg Ladies Open champion Casandra Hall and former winner Lee-Anne Pace.
The second came after the trio watched in astonishment as Germany’s Olivia Cowan threw the trophy in the water.
Cowan, the overnight leader who started the day with a five-shot lead and needed just seven to seal the win, hit a great drive down the 18th and laid up with her second to leave herself a short iron into the island green.
She paid a hefty price for going for the flag when her ball spun off the green into the water. Visibly shaken, Cowan three-putted for a triple bogey 8 and signed for 79, which gave Skarpnord, Hall and Pace another shot at the title in the ensuing sudden death shoot-out.
The quartet headed back to the 18th and this time, all four players were on the dance floor in three.
2021 Dimension Data Ladies Challenge winner Marianne Skarpnord with her caddie at Fancourt; credit Sunshine Ladies Tour.
Skarpnord used her magic wand and hit a birdie putt with perfect pace. The ball caught the edge of the hole and dropped, handing her the win.
The victory at Fancourt was her second on SA soil since she won the South African Women’s Open in 2013, and her first since she banked the Australian Ladies Classic title in 2019 for her fourth Ladies European Tour (LET) win.
“That was not even on the planet for me, to be honest,” said Skarpnord, who began the round seven shots off the pace. She offset three bogeys with a trio of birdies to finish level par for the day.
“I was so far behind at the start and still far behind at the end, so I was actually about to order lunch when one of the girls said she heard something happened on 18.
“I’d been finished for 30 minutes and I was a little stiff, but I was first off and of course, I started with a nice little pull in the trap. I got it out nicely, but I was in the rough with a bit of mud on the ball. With three other people trying, I had to go for it. I hit a nice wedge and a good putt and here we are.
“It was a surprise for me; for all of us really and it’s a shame that it happened this way. I would have loved to see Olivia win. She is a good golfer, but obviously she had a tough day. But her win it not far away. Obviously I am happy to be standing here, but it’s always a bit weird when it happens like that.”
However, it was also a timeous win for the 35-year-old Norwegian.
If Skarpnord can back up the win at Fancourt with another strong performance in the Investec SA Women’s Open at Westlake next week, she will definitely be on the radar of International team captain Catriona Matthews, who will make her Captain’s Picks for the Solheim Cup at the AIG Women’s Open.
Marianne Skarpnord receives the Dimension Data Ladies Challenge trophy from Werner Kapp, Chief Executive Officer Dimension Data Middle East Africa at Fancourt; credit Sunshine Ladies Tour
“The last few weeks have been amazing. It’s absolutely fantastic to start the season this way. It was completely unexpected, but I couldn’t be happier. I haven’t won for a few years and this has been one of the best weeks on tour and I’ve been on tour for a long time,” said Skarpnord.
Pace had a chance to extend the play-off, but her birdie putt slid just past the hole, while Hall’s effort overshot the cup. But joint second means the South African pair keep their one-two positions on the Investec Order of Merit heading into the season-finale in Cape Town next week.
Pace leads the rankings on 1,353 points, with Hall a little over 100 points behind on 1,213.
SuperSport Ladies Challenge winner Michaela Fletcher, who retired with an injured shoulder in the final round, sits in third on 821.50. Skarpnord overtook Nicole Garcia for fourth with 744 points.
The Investec South African Women’s Open will draw the curtain on the 2021 season.
The event is co-sanctioned with the Ladies European Tour and will also serve as the U.S. Women’s Open qualifier this year. The championship carries a purse of €200 000 and will be contested over 72 holes at Westlake Golf Club from 13-16 May.
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Written and released by Lali Stander on behalf of the Sunshine Ladies Tour.
6th May 2021 | Sunshine Ladies Tour
Daffinrud darts to the top in Dimension Data Ladies Challenge
GEORGE, 6 May 2021 – Norwegian Tonje Daffinrud birdied the last two holes to break away from the pack and surge to the top of a congested first round leaderboard in the Dimension Data Ladies Challenge in George on Thursday.
With the field split between two of the three courses at Fancourt over the first two rounds, Daffinrud was the surprise leader after carding a three-under-par 69 on the less than giving Montagu course.
She will carry a slender one-shot lead into her second round at the Outeniqua course, where all six players tied for second recorded two-under 70 rounds on day one.
Teeing off in the afternoon field, the 29-year-old Ladies European Tour campaigner opened with a birdie on the par-5 10th. She dropped her only shot of the day at the par-4 15th, but got it back to level with a birdie on the third before closing out her round with a brace of gains.
“I didn’t actually make a lot of putts until the back nine, but my iron-game was pretty solid and I hit them close,” said the Oslo golfer. “The course was definitely softer after all the rain overnight and that helped. We only had overcast skies and occasional drizzles, so that was good, too. But it was definitely the iron game that saved me.”
Daffinrud made her debut on Africa’s premier women’s professional circuit at Soweto Country Club last week, where she tied for eighth in the Joburg Ladies Open.
“It feels pretty good to be in contention. I worked really hard during the winter and it’s my first time playing in South Africa. Fancourt is an amazing facility and I am looking forward to playing the course on Friday. I am really enjoying myself here in South Africa and my game is feeling pretty good. It’s absolutely amazing to be playing tournament golf again.”
South Africa’s Kim Williams fired a two-under 70 on the Outeniqua Course at Fancourt to finish one off the pace in the first round of the Dimension Data Ladies Challenge; credit Sunshine Ladies Tour
Another afternoon starter, Kim Williams, joined Stacy Bregman as the only two South Africans in the six-way tie for second.
The three-time Sunshine Ladies Tour winner made three birdies on the bounce from the fourth and edged into the outright lead with a birdie on the eighth.
“I had two soft bogeys coming home, but I’m really happy with the round,” said Williams. “I have been striking the ball really well since the start of the season, but not scoring because the putter just stayed cold. Today it finally came to the party and it was fun out there for a change.
“It was quite a shock at the start of the round to see how differently the course played to the practice round. It had softened up quite a bit and the greens were holding. They were quite firm yesterday, but today your iron shots either sat or you got one bounce and it would spin back.
“I hit some really good irons today and the putter did the rest. Both my bogeys were soft drops, where I short-sided myself. I had no green to work with on 10 and on 14 I hit 6-iron and pulled it left on the wrong side of the green. That green has a lot of slope, so I wasn’t too upset with the outcome.
“I may have to take my putter to bed tonight to keep it warm for the Montagu, because that’s a much tougher test. The greens have way more slope and positioning is key to scoring on that side. But it feels really great to shoot a competitive score again, and that before we head to Cape Town next week for the Investec South African Women’s Open.”
Bregman, who lifted the title in 2015, offset a lone bogey with three gains to square up with Williams, French pair Emie Peronnin and Astrid Vayson de Pradenne, and Dutch golfer Romy Meekers.
Last year’s Investec Order of Merit winner Monique Smit also made a strong start as she pursues a first win this season, and a second victory in the Dimension Data Challenge. The popular Oubaai golfer carded 71 on the Montagu to tie for third on one-under with Tandi McCallum and the Czech Republic’s Katerina Vlasinova, who both played Outeniqua.
Written and released by Lali Stander on behalf of the Sunshine Ladies 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
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
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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.
5th March 2019 | Sunshine Ladies Tour
Dlamini gunning for City of Cape Town success
5 March 2019 – The City of Cape Town will host two world-class Sunshine Ladies Tour events in the next fortnight. Starting on Wednesday, the Cape Town Ladies Open will set the stage for next week’s Investec South African Women’s Open, co-sanctioned with the Ladies European Tour.
The fifth Cape Town Ladies Open has drawn a field of 67 players, with a 40-strong international contingent competing in the curtain-raiser at Royal Cape Golf Club ahead of the R2-million Sunshine Ladies Tour showpiece from 14-16 March at Westlake Golf Club.
The foreign campaigners have already enjoyed a fortuitous summer, coming up trumps in three of the first five events.
Flora Peuch and Marion Duvernay from France celebrated victory in the inaugural Serengeti Team Championship in February, while Jane Turner from Scotland went wire-to-wire at the Wild Coast Sun last week to capture the SuperSport Ladies Challenge, presented by Sun International.
Well-known Nobuhle Dlamini pushed her winning tally on the local circuit to three trophies in the Dimension Data Ladies Challenge at Fancourt three weeks ago.
Coming off a runner-up finish at the Wild Coast, Dlamini has banked 1 257 points this season and the big-hitting Swazi golfer holds the top spot in the Investec Property Fund Order of Merit.
With her closest pursuers at Royal Cape this week Kim Williams and Ivanna Samu – respectively ranked third and fourth on 586 and 529 points – Dlamini is determined to open up an unsurmountable lead in the rankings before the circuit moves to Westlake.
“There are a lot of ranking points on offer next week, so I have to try to win it this week to increase my lead,” said the 27-year-old. “I was pipped at the post last year by Stacy Bregman. I definitely don’t want that to happen again.
“I think the field is wide open this year. Lee-Anne (Pace) is always a worry. She hasn’t played on the Sunshine Ladies Tour since the Canon Sunshine Ladies Tour Open, so she will be keen to get some points in the Order of Merit race.
“She won in 2016 and she’s defending. With the Investec South African Women’s Open next week, she is going to gun for the winner’s circle again. If she gets it going early on, she’ll be very tough to catch.
“But there are a few more players to worry about. Kim Williams has been in great form this season and Ivanna Samu could definitely pose a threat, because she has a great record at Royal Cape.
“The two Scottish rookies Gabrielle MacDonald and Hannah McCook did really well over the last two weeks in KwaZulu-Natal and Jane was in a class of her own last week.
“Jessica Dreesbeimdieke from Namibia and Pasqualle Coffa from the Netherlands have also been impressive so far this season. And Carrie Park is back. She’s a three-time winner on the Sunshine Ladies Tour and she’s been playing the Ladies PGA Tour in Korea, where she’s also won.
“There are also a number of new players this week who have arrived early to warm up for the Investec SA Women’s Open. We don’t know much about them, so they could deliver a big surprise this week.”
Dlamini is confident, though, that she can protect her number one spot in the rankings.
“I’ve come to Cape Town this year in a very different mind-set,” she said. “I’ve always had a great game, but I didn’t have the self-belief that you need to compete at the highest level. Mentally I am stronger that I’ve ever been.
“I’ve had a mixed bag of results here in the past, but I believe I’ll do well. I trust my game. I trust my ability to grind and scramble to turn a bad round around. And I believe I can win. When you take mental strength and self-belief on to the golf course, you control the way you play.”
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Written and released by Lali Stander on behalf of the Sunshine Ladies Tour and WPGA.
17th February 2019 | Sunshine Ladies Tour
Sunshine Ladies Tour hat-trick delight for Dlamini
GEORGE, SOUTH AFRICA – FEBRUARY 17: Nobuhle Dlamini during day 4 of the 2019 Dimension Data Pro-Am at Fancourt on February 17, 2019 in George, South Africa. EDITOR’S NOTE: For free editorial use. Not available for sale. No commercial usage. (Photo by Carl Fourie/Sunshine Tour/Gallo Images)
17 February 2019 – She had the line. She had the pace. And she nailed the distance.
On a tense and dramatic Sunday at Fancourt, Nobuhle Dlamini drained a 32 foot uphill birdie putt at the final hole of the Outeniqua Course to seal a Sunshine Ladies Tour hat-trick with a two-shot victory in the Dimension Data Challenge.
Just a few minutes earlier, the big-hitting Swazi golfer tapped in for well-timed four at the par five 17th to take a one-shot lead. The birdie-birdie finish for a five-under-par 67 earned Dlamini a R70 000 pay-day on a winning total of two-under 214.
“I had to really stop myself from running around on the green when that last putt dropped,” said the delighted Dlamini, who banked an additional R30K for partnering amateur Francis Tremearne to victory in the Betterball Team Competition.
“I was so excited, but Brittney (Fay-Berger) still had to putt. I played the 17th hole exactly as I planned and I wanted to get the birdie at 18 to have a bit of a cushion. Britt and I both hit good tee shots up the 18th fairway, but her approach took a huge bounce off the back.
GEORGE, SOUTH AFRICA – FEBRUARY 17: Nobuhle Dlamini during day 3 of the 2019 Dimension Data Ladies Pro-Am at George Golf Club on February 17, 2019 in George, South Africa. EDITOR’S NOTE: For free editorial use. Not available for sale. No commercial usage. (Photo by Carl Fourie/Sunshine Tour/Gallo Images)
“You don’t want to hit it past the flag and leave yourself a slippery and fast downhill putt, so I told my caddie I’m going to hit it seven foot short. It came up a lot shorter, but it was the right call. I had a one-shot lead. At worst, I’d be in a play-off. The moment I stroked the ball it looked good.”
Dlamini posted rounds of 76 and 71 over the first two days at George Golf Club and was four shots behind joint leaders Monique Smit and Bertine Faber when the action moved to Fancourt.
Smit gave the local crowd reason to cheer with a birdie start, Faber matched her birdie with one of her own at the second and Dlamini kept pace with her first birdie at the second.
While Smit and Faber slowly faded out of contention, Kim Williams made a run for the lead with birdies at two, seven and 10. The three-time Sunshine Ladies Tour winner led the field on three-under for most of the day, but Dlamini put the field Williams on notice with a run of birdies from seven.
“I just holed a bunch of really good putts,” said the 27-year-old Dlamini
“I missed very few fairways and I hit my irons and wedges really good. I bogeyed 11 but I birdied 14 to stay within two shots of Kim. As I walked to the 17th tee, I saw Kim was in trouble and I figured she might drop a shot at shot.
“I hit three-wood down the middle, but I just missed the green with my approach. I chipped it give, though and that gave me a one shot lead after Kim made a double at 16.”
Dlamini had a short, but tense wait to know for certain. “Ivanna (Samu) or Lejan (Lethwaite) were level par and if one of them made an eagle, it would be a play-off,” Dlamini said. “It was a bit tense, because everyone was coming to congratulate me, but I don’t count my chickens before they hatch.
I never count my chickens before they hatch. Only after they finished on level-par, I let that winning feeling flow over me.”
Dlamini battled with a knee injury at the start of the sixth Sunshine Ladies Tour season and posted an unmemorable top 20 finish in the Canon Sunshine Ladies Tour Open, but the form that took her to winner’s circle twice last year showed up during Serengeti Team Championship.
“I saw a physiotherapist after Irene and I was back to full strength and was striking the ball really well at Serengeti. I felt I was playing well enough to win, and after the three birdies on the front, I knew I could win if I kept patient and stuck to the game plan.
“This is one of my absolutely favourite events and I look forward coming to Fancourt every year. I am extremely proud to join the list of Dimension Data winners. I only got into the one Ladies European Tour event and I decided to stay in South Africa. Next week I’m going trophy hunting in the SA Women’s Masters and I can’t wait to defend my SuperSport Ladies Challenge title the Wild Coast in two weeks.”
Samu and Lewthwaite both closed with rounds of 69 to tie for second.
Williams carded a 73 with a double bogey finish and tied for fourth on two-over with GolfRSA Elite Squad amateur Kajal Mistry, who also registered a 73.
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Written and released by Lali Stander on behalf of the Sunshine Ladies Tour and WPGA.