24th January 2022 | Sunshine Ladies Tour
Sunshine Ladies Tour unveils exciting 2022 season
A bumper season awaits the leading lights of South African women’s golf, and international participants from around the globe when the Sunshine Ladies Tour tees off 2022 boasting a massive prize money hike, two Ladies European Tour co-sanctioned events and new sponsors.
The ninth season will feature seven Investec Order of Merit counting events, starting with the SunBet Cape Town Ladies Open from 2-4 February and culminating with the Investec South African Women’s Open from 30 March-2 April.
“We are proud to unveil a schedule packed with great incentives and nearly R13-million to play for,” said Sunshine Ladies Tour General Manager Pauli van Meersbergen.
“We are incredibly grateful to our loyal sponsors and partners who have demonstrated extra-ordinary commitment in these trying times, especially the sponsors of our two Ladies European Tour co-sanctioned events who accommodated the schedule changes due to the travel restrictions imposed on South Africa. Moving the tournaments to latter dates enables us to draw the strongest fields possible.
“The Sunshine Ladies Tour is strong and continues to grow, thanks to the continued commitment of our stakeholders, including Investec, the municipalities of Joburg and Cape Town, Jabra, SuperSport, Dimension Data, Sun International, and our new sponsors SunBet and RE/MAX of Southern Africa. Our partners have stepped up their investment in women’s professional golf immensely to ensure that our players can continue to level up and chase their Sunshine Ladies Tour dreams in 2022.”
SunBet has added its significant weight and prestige to the Sunshine Ladies Tour and doubled the prize money for the season-opener to R 400 000.
“We are delighted to be supporting the Sunshine Ladies Tour and to partner with the City of Cape Town in hosting the SunBet Cape Town Ladies Open at Royal Cape Golf Club,” said Charlotte Archer, SunBet Marketing Manager.
“It is exciting to be part of a sport that continues to gain traction worldwide. SunBet has a rich history with many sporting codes in South Africa, and we are extremely proud to become involved in growing and promoting the women’s professional golf game in Africa.”
The Dimension Data Ladies Pro-Am in George returns for a ninth successive year a R600 000 purse and an additional prize pool of R 100 000 for the Pro-Am competition.
SuperSport has also partnered with the Sunshine Ladies Tour since its inception in 2014, and Africa’s premier sports platform has stepped up their commitment in 2022 with a huge prize fund increase for the SuperSport Ladies Challenge presented by Sun International, at Sun City.
“The Sunshine Ladies Tour showcases the incredible talent of women in sport and ensures that these golfers are recognised for their dedication and given opportunities to excel. It has been very exciting to witness the growth of the local women’s professional circuit over the last eight years and we are thrilled to be part of the journey to grow Africa’s premier women’s professional golf circuit,” said SuperSport Chief Executive, Marc Jury.
From an initial purse of R200 000 in 2019, international audio equipment giant Jabra has upped the ante year-on-year and next year will be no different.
The Jabra Ladies Classic at Glendower Golf Club from 23-25 February will not only offer the winner a spot in the field for Jabra Ladies Open on the 2022 Ladies European Tour, but Jabra has boosted the prize money from R 600 000 to a cool R1-million.
“The Sunshine Ladies Tour has become a very attractive proposition at the start of the season as we have witnessed the international participation more than triple in the last three years. We are thrilled to share in the promotion and growth of golf among women in Africa and to offer an incentive to the champion to take her career to the next level,” said Nicolas Bliaux, Vice President / Managing Director for Jabra Eastern Europe, Russia & CIS, Middle East, Turkey and Africa.
Increasing strength of the Sunshine Ladies Tour is further splendidly illustrated with the announcement that the popular Joburg Ladies Open will be joining the Ladies European Tour stable.
“The Joburg Ladies Open has been hugely successful since its introduction on the Sunshine Ladies Tour in 2016 and we are confident that the event will enjoy even more success as a co-sanctioned event in 2022,” said Bongi Mokaba, City of Johannesburg Director: Event Management.
“Not only does the Joburg Ladies Open serve an important role in helping to stimulate the South African economy amidst the COVID-19 recovery, but many of our regular Sunshine Ladies Tour campaigners were negatively impacted by the travel restrictions levied this year. The 2022 purse will be €250 000 (approximately R4.5-mllion) and the winner will gain playing privileges in Europe. We are delighted to play a part in launching the career of the next champion while inspiring the next generation of future stars of the game.”
The Sunshine Ladies Tour and Ladies European Tour will once again co-sanction the Investec South African Women’s Open.
The 72-hole showpiece will be played at the picturesque Steenberg Golf Club, and the field will be competing for an increased purse of €290 000 (approximately R5.2-million), thanks to the support of the City of Cape Town and a new Sunshine Ladies Tour partnership with RE/MAX of Southern Africa.
City of Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis welcomed the return of the Sunshine Ladies Tour’s crown jewel back to Cape Town.
“As host city and sponsor of the Investec South African Women’s Open, we are proud to be associated with an event that elevates women in sports while also ploughing back to the grassroots efforts to nurture talented amateur female golfers through providing a platform for growth and opportunity. Our continued support for this golf tournament is a confirmation of the City of Cape Town’s commitment to empowering women through sport.”
Alexandra Armas, Chief Executive Officer of the Ladies European Tour, said: “We are delighted to feature two events in South Africa on our 2022 schedule. We have a longstanding relationship with the Sunshine Ladies Tour and the addition of a new co-sanctioned event will strengthen our collaboration.
“Our sincere thanks to the Cities of Johannesburg and Cape Town, Investec and RE/MAX of Southern Africa for their incredible commitment. This will undoubtedly impact positively on participation and interest in the women’s game in Africa.”
In addition to Ladies European Tour exemptions and the chance to tee it up in the Jabra Ladies Open, the Sunshine Ladies Tour campaigners will also vie for glory in the points-based ranking system. The top three professionals on the final Investec Order of Merit will gain automatic entry into the 2023 Investec South African Women’s Open, and the winner receives a bonus prize worth R 200 000. Should the winner of the 2022 Investec South African Women’s Open be a South African, she will be rewarded with the Investec Homegrown Award, worth R 100 000.
Women’s PGA of South Africa chairperson, Margie Whitehouse, said: “The Sunshine Ladies Tour has gone from strength to strength in the past nine years. Once again, thanks to the tremendous support from its loyal partners, sponsors and stakeholders in difficult times, our rising talent will have the opportunity to compete for fantastic incentives and huge purses, and we look forward to watching the future stars showcase their talent on the 2022 Sunshine Ladies Tour.”
2022 SUNSHINE LADIES TOUR SCHEDULE
FEBRUARY
2 – 4 SunBet Cape Town Ladies Open
Royal Cape Golf Club
R 400 000
11 – 13 Dimension Data Ladies Pro-Am
Round 1 and 2 at George Golf Club & Final Round at Outeniqua at Fancourt
R 600 000
R 100 000 Better Ball Pro-Am
16 – 18 SuperSport Ladies Challenge presented by Sun International
Gary Player Country Club
R 1.3-million
23 – 25 Jabra Ladies Classic
Glendower Golf Club
R 1-million
MARCH
24 – 26 Joburg Ladies Open *
Modderfontein Golf Club
€ 250 000
30 March – 2 April Investec South African Women’s Open *
Steenberg Golf Club
€ 290 000
*Co-sanctioned with the Ladies European Tour
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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Written and released by Lali Stander on behalf of the Sunshine Ladies Tour.
28th April 2021 | Sunshine Ladies Tour
Pace targets fabulous 14th in Soweto
28 April 2021 – Lee-Anne Pace’s bid for an unprecedented 14th Sunshine Ladies Tour victory got off to the ideal start with an opening round of 68, which shot the LPGA Tour champion to the summit at Soweto Country Club.
Pace made three birdies on the bounce on the challenging par-72 layout to set the clubhouse target and finished the day three shots clear of chasing pack, led by Maiken Bing Paulsen.
Nobuhle Dlamini, who lifted the trophy in 2019, carded 72 to tie for third. The eSwatini golfer finished alongside French debutant Justine Dreher and her compatriot Emie Peronin, as well as well as Casandra Hall, who enjoyed a third place finish in her rookie start in 2019.
Pace has won in every season since the tour launched eight years ago and she picked up her last trophy in the 2020 Cape Town Ladies Open last year.
Fittingly, was the champion of the first Joburg Ladies Open held at Royal Johannesburg & Kensington in 2016.
The circuit’s most prolific winner rolled back the years with a vintage display in the near perfect conditions, gaining shots on the field with birdies on the par four fourth and short seventh hole. She was five-under with three holes to play when her momentum was checked with a bogey on the 16th, but she put an early marker down with pars at the closing holes.
Pace said: “That was a really nice round. I’ve been in contention every week since the start of the season, but my swing is getting to where I want it now. I am striking the ball really well and shaping the shots the way I want. I holed some very nice putts and I hit it steady all the way through, so I was pleased with that. There is a lot of golf left to play, but I’m feeling positive about my game.”
Considering that Pace had never played the course before, it was a solid performance and one that sounded a loud warning to her opponents.
“I’m nursing a toe injury, so I wanted to limit the playing to the three tournament rounds,” said Pace, who roped in Ladies European Tour campaigner Anne-Lise Caudal to do bag-duty this week.
“Anne-Lise injured her wrist playing out of a plugged lie in last week’s SuperSport Ladies Challenge and she withdrew this week to rest her wrist. She offered to take the bag, so she walked the course in the practice round. And off we went this morning. We combined her insights and my game pretty well. It’s a challenging layout. You have to play strategically and position yourself well to give yourself a chance to score.”
Paulsen, who made her Ladies European Tour debut last year, is playing in her first season on Africa’s premier women’s professional circuit.
The Norwegian was also in the mix at the Gary Player Country Club last week in her first start and finished sixth overall, courtesy of the low round of the day – a 68 that featured two eagles and three birdies. She got within two shots Pace’s target, but let herself down with a closing bogey.
Paulsen described her astonishment at how far the ball travels in Johannesburg on her blog, but she seems to have adjusted quickly to extra yardage. She was the only other player on the first day to finish in red numbers after offsetting a trio of bogeys with four birdies.
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23rd April 2021 | Sunshine Ladies Tour
Full marks for maiden winner Fletcher
23 April 2021 – Former Memphis Tiger star Michaela Fletcher won a lot of golf tournaments in a storied amateur career. Now she’s a winner on the Sunshine Ladies Tour.
And the 25-year-old Maritzburg golfer broke her professional duck in the most magnificent style at the iconic Gary Player Country Club on Friday.
A pin-seeking chip from 30 feet across the water at the par-five 18th dropped dead centre and the resulting birdie for a final round one-under 71 sealed Fletcher’s her maiden success in the SuperSport Ladies Challenge, presented by Sun International.
“First and foremost, the satisfaction of being able to play under the gun and win is amazing. Having played amateur golf most of my career, this is what I’ve dreamt of doing since I joined the pro ranks last year. I’m so thrilled with this result,” said the elated winner.
Fletcher began the final day on four-under and triumphed one shot better, but she was pushed to the end by Nobuhle Dlamini, who shared the overnight lead, and last week’s Jabra Ladies Classic champion, amateur Caitlyn Macnab, who started the day two shots off the pace.
“Warming up on the range this morning I wasn’t really hitting it well,” said Fletcher.
“I went out there and just trusted my game plan. I knew going into the final round that Cat and Nobby are longer hitters, so it was really important that I trusted myself and my own game.”
While she couldn’t match Dlamini and Macnab’s booming drives, Fletcher edged in front and held on to pole with superb approach shots and a hot putter. The trio turned with Fletcher in front on five-under, Macnab one behind and Dlamini a further shot adrift.
Fletcher was solid with five straight pars to start the inward loop, while her playing partners traded birdies for bogeys.
Then, with four holes to play, Dlamini made three bogeys on the bounce and fell way, but Macnab pulled within a shot of her lead when Fletcher bogeyed the par four 15th hole.
“I knew they would both go for the green in two at the last hole and they did,” Fletcher said. “I went from not striking the ball well to striping it down the middle. I thought about going for it, but I had left myself at an awkward distance. So I stuck to the game plan and laid up. I had to take a longer club, though. When I got to the ball, I was so relieved that it was short of the water and I was safe.”
Her caddy offered some paternal advice and Fletcher obliged.
“My dad turned to me and said: ‘Look to make it; you can make this’. I’ve been chipping really well all three days and I caught it just perfectly. I was just really happy to watch the ball disappear down the hole.”
Macnab’s two-putt birdie for a 70 handed her second on her own at four-under. Dlamini also made a four on the closing hole and a round of 74 earned her a share of third alongside Denmark’s Linette Holmslykke, who signed for 69.
The Sunshine Ladies Tour is three-for-three with their #LevelUp campaign for the 2021 season, as Macnab and Fletcher followed in the footsteps of French golfer Manon Gidali, who claimed her first pro win in the season-opening Cape Town Ladies Open.
Fletcher was overjoyed to cross join the maiden winner’s circle.
“Things got a little hairy towards the end; the cracks in the swing showed up under pressure and I doubted myself just a bit, but I’m proud of the way I just grinded through,” said the former Memphis Tigers standout. “At the end of the day, golf doesn’t always have to be pretty; you just have to get it in the hole. I’m happy with the way that I played under the circumstances.”
With three events to go, she hopes to raise her game to an even higher level.
“I’ve proven to myself that I really belong here. Lockdown really tested me. It was a really tough year leading up to this and I am so proud. I grinded through a really tough swing change in the lockdown, and today, I grinded my way to the win,” she said.
“When things got difficult, I never felt sorry for myself. I never gave up. I worked with what I had and won, and that is a huge confidence booster for me. My amateur days were good, but my pro days are going to be even better.”
The Sunshine Ladies Tour’s next stop is Soweto Country Club and the R500 000 Joburg Ladies Open.
The circuit then swings through the Garden Route for the Dimension Data Ladies Challenge at Fancourt, before it returns to the Mother City for the season-finale Investec South African Women’s Open, co-sanctioned with the Ladies European Tour at Westlake. The €200 000 national Open doubles up this year as one of the qualifying event for golf’s biggest Major, the U.S. Women’s Open.
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Written and released by Lali Stander on behalf of the Sunshine Ladies Tour.
16th April 2021 | Sunshine Ladies Tour
Magnificent Macnab makes history in Jabra Ladies Classic
16 April 2021 – Reigning SA Women’s Amateur champion Caitlyn Macnab made South African golfing history on Friday when she powered to an eight-stroke victory in the Sunshine Ladies Tour’s Jabra Ladies Classic at Glendower Golf Club.
In a scintillating final round, the 19-year-old GolfRSA No 1 sealed the victory in breath-taking fashion, firing five birdies on the back nine for a closing five-under-par 67.
In doing so, Macnab became the first amateur winner on the South African women’s professional golf circuit since Ashleigh Buhai (née Simon) lifted her second South African Women’s Open title in 2007.
“It’s awesome; it’s such a great feeling,” said Macnab with a smile that could light up the world.
The Ekurhuleni golfer had squandered a chance to rewrite the history books in season-opening Cape Town Ladies Open at Royal Cape Golf Club with a double bogey late in the final round, and she was absolutely delighted to pull it through in her home union.
“There is a lot more pressure when you play against the pros, and last week in Cape Town I didn’t really know what to expect heading into the final day with a share of the lead. This week I felt a lot more comfortable, and playing here at Glendower was great. It’s such a great course.
“I won the SA Women’s Stroke Play and the Match Play twice and I’ve represented South Africa a few times, so this ranks right up there with my greatest achievements. I am over the moon, because this is huge for me. The theme this year is #levelup and I feel I’ve done exactly that. Following in Ashleigh’s shoes is pretty special.
“I wanted to come out this season to build experience and to test myself. There are still a lot of amazing opportunities ahead this season, but it’s a fantastic feeling to get it done. I’m really grateful to my whole team for getting me here.”
Macnab began the final round with a one-shot lead over Lindi Coetzee and had a three stroke advantage over seasoned winner Lee-Anne Pace.
Two months ago, the Serengeti golfer showed her merciless side as she routed Megan Streicher 11 & 9 in the 36-hole match play final to successfully defend her SA Women’s Amateur title. The amateur was just as ruthless over the last nine holes at Glendower.
Having dropped a trio of shots in her outward loop, Macnab still had a three-shot advantage through the turn and she pulled away from the field with the clinical surge coming home. She notched birdied on the 10th, 11th, 13th, 15th and 17th holes to give herself an unattainable lead coming down the last hole.
“I started birdie, birdie, but I didn’t actually hit the ball great,” Macnab said. “My swing felt a little bit snappy, so I slowed it down and started driving it really well. I was able to avoid the errant shots that cost me in the previous rounds and the putts were dropping, which always helps.”
GolfRSA No 1 Caitlyn Macnab made history as the first amateur winner in 14 years on the South African women’s professional golf circuit when she powered to an eight-shot victory in the Sunshine Ladies Tour’s Jabra Ladies Classic at Glendower Golf Club; credit Sunshine Ladies Tour.
As an amateur, Macnab can’t share in the R600 000 purse on offer this week, but the historic achievement does earn her coveted spot in the field of the Jabra Ladies Open. The dual-ranking Ladies European Tour and LET Access Series event is also the qualifying tournament for the season’s fourth Major, the Amundi Evian Championship at Evian Resort Golf Club in France from 22-25 July.
“It’s a fantastic incentive from Jabra. Although I am leaving for Texas Christian University in August to take up a golf scholarship, competing in the Jabra Ladies Open will be an incredible opportunity to build more experience,” said Macnab.
Her 12-under-par total was ultimately eight shots better than her Grant Veenstra Golf Academy stable-mate Nicole Garcia and second-season professional playing partner Coetzee.
Garcia birdied both par fives on the back nine and reduced the gap to six shots with an eagle-two at the 16th, but a double bogey finish for a 68 saw her slip back to tie for second on four-under with Coetzee, who returned a 74.
Kelsey Nicholas, also in her second season in the pro ranks, carded a 71 to grab a share of fourth alongside Pace, who signed for 77, while last year’s Investec Order of Merit winner Monique Smit finished in sixth spot on three-over.
The next stop for the Sunshine Ladies Tour campaigners is Sun City, where Lejan Lewthwaite will take up her title defence in the R400 000 SuperSport Ladies Challenge presented by Sun International at the Gary Player Country Club from 21-23 April.
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Written and released by Lali Stander on behalf of the Sunshine Ladies Tour.
27th January 2020 | Sunshine Ladies Tour
Is Dlamini the player to beat in Cape Town?
27 January 2020 – In-form Nobuhle Dlamini will be bidding for a second Investec Order of Merit title when she launches her 2020 Sunshine Ladies Tour season in the Cape Town Ladies Open this week.
The R200 000 season-opener, hosted by the City of Cape Town for a sixth successive year, will be contested at King David Mowbray Golf Club from 29-31 January.
Coming off a superb showing in the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School in Spain, few would bet against the big-hitting eSwatini golfer starting her seventh season in the pro ranks on a winning note.
As an amateur, Dlamini was a dominant force, but she struggled to transition to the pro ranks.
The pedigree was there, though. She racked up 16 top 10 finishes over the first three years and finally broke her professional duck at the Sun SuperSport Ladies Challenge in 2018.
The self-belief that took her to number two in the amateur world rankings came flooding back and a wave of confidence propelled Dlamini to the top of the standings in 2019.
She won the Dimension Data Ladies Pro-Am and Joburg Ladies Open, had runner-up finishes in the Jabra Ladies Classic and SuperSport Ladies Challenge and confirmed her dominance with further success in the Investec Royal Swazi Ladies and victory in the Vodacom Origins of Golf Ladies Final.
Dlamini said the key to her overnight success was simple. She didn’t try so hard.
“I’ve been hitting the ball for a very long time and I was just waiting for a break, but I was also trying to force things all the time. I just decided to stop forcing it. I focused on letting the winning come through the process. As a result, I was much more relaxed and the trophies started piling up,” Dlamini said at the end of the 2019 season.
“My mistake when I turned pro was that I tried to change and get my game perfect. But you are not perfect. My advice to any amateur out there would be to not try to change too much. As an amateur, you get to where you are because it works, so don’t change when you turn pro.”
That self-belief – illustrated most emphatically at Fancourt, where she drained a 25-footer at the final hole in the last round with authority to win the Dimension Data Ladies Pro-Am – was on display once again in Spain.
Dlamini took her blistering form to Europe, but playing on a limited card proved frustrating. She struggled to build momentum with sporadic starts and weeks off between events and narrowly missed the top 80 cut-off at the end of the 2019 on the Ladies European Tour (LET) season.
Forced to make a return trip to Q-School this January, she landed a top 10 spot with an opening round of 71 on the South Course at the Real Golf La Manga Club and kept her foot on the pedal throughout the gruelling 90-hole test to clinch her card for 2020 with a top eight finish.
With her future in Europe secure, Dlamini has set some lofty goals for 2020 Sunshine Ladies Tour – a second Investec Order of Merit title and the ultimate prize: in the season-finale Investec South African Women’s Open at West Lake Golf Club in March.
After a week of challenging weather conditions in Spain, the infamous Cape Town South Easter could further strengthen her chances.
Dlamini won the SA Women’s Amateur Championship in a windy 36-hole final at Royal Cape in 2009. She went wire-to-wire at Umhlali Country Club in even more blustery conditions to lift the 2012 SA Women’s Stroke Play title. She braved gale force conditions at the Wild Coast Sun for her maiden success on the Sunshine Ladies Tour. And gusty conditions put a premium on her skills in the wind during both of her victory marches on the Vodacom Origins of Golf Tour last year.
“Windy conditions doesn’t worry me,” said the 27-year-old.
“You have to play the holes into the wind well. On the other holes, if it comes off the side or from behind, you can use it to your advantage. King David Mowbray is a tight course and heavily tree-lined. The greens usually roll true and have a nice speed. You just have to keep the ball in play. The course isn’t that long and if you are hitting it well, you can score. The key this week to winning is fairways, greens and a hot putter.”
To get the first win in the bag though, Dlamini will have to stave off some stiff competition all seeking a winning start in the City of Cape Town.
Former LPGA Tour winner Lee-Anne Pace is hunting a hat-trick of Cape Town Ladies Open titles and last year’s Jabra Ladies Classic champion Anne-Lise Caudal from France hopes to convert successive runner-up finishes in 2018 and 2019 into gold, while former Sunshine Ladies Tour champions Stacy Bregman, Nicole Garcia, Kim Williams and Jane Turner from Wales, and reigning SA Women’s Masters champion Lejan Lewthwaite are also primed to pose a significant challenge.
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Written and released by Lali Stander on behalf of the Sunshine Ladies Tour and WPGA.