Three-way tussle at Royal Cape

Melissa Eaton carried her recent fine form to an opening three-under-par 71 and a share of the first round lead in the inaugural Cape Town Ladies Open on Wednesday.

The KwaZulu-Natal golfer shares pole position with Sunshine Ladies Tour winners Nicole Garcia and Ashleigh Simon, while local amateur Amy Henning took on the South-Easterly wind to finish just one off the pace at her new home course at Royal Cape Golf Club.

Stacy Bregman, a two-time champion this season, also stayed close to the leaders.

The 2015 Investec Cup for Ladies leader opened with a one under 73 to tie for fifth alongside British pair Lucy Williams and Rebecca Hudson, a four-time winner on the Ladies European Tour.

After two runner-up finishes and a top 10 in her first three starts on the Sunshine Ladies Tour, Eaton feels she is close to a podium finish.

The former Symetra Tour winner seemed oblivious to the wind gusting at 45 kilometres an hour. She followed an early bogey at the par-four second with seven straight pars and reeled in four birdies to complete the back nine in a flawless 33 strokes.

“I learned to play golf in the wind on the South Coast, so I always enjoy the challenge,” the 29-year-old Port Shepstone player said. “I had a wobble at the start of the round when I missed a putt for par, but I also struggled a little off the tee.

“I knew I just needed to stay patient out there and I could take advantage of the back nine at the holes that played with the wind. I used a lot of three-woods and wedges coming down the straight and I felt really good over the putter. The game is definitely there, so I don’t mind if the fan stays on.”

Garcia followed a maiden victory in the Chase to the Investec Cup for Ladies with a tie for seventh in the Dimension Data Ladies Pro-Am on Sunday.

The 24-year-old from Ebotse Golf Estate was four under after gains at the third, fourth, fifth and seventh holes, and dipped to five under after another birdie at the par-five 11^th.

Unlike Eaton, Garcia’s three-wood cost her three strokes on the home stretch.

“I hit three bad tee shots and made three bogeys and that cost me the lead, so the three-wood is on probation,” Garcia said.

“I’m actually really pleased to be in contention. It was a really windy weekend in George, but the experience definitely helped me out there. I really struggled with that four-club wind at Oubaai and the wind blew pretty hard at Outeniqua, too, but I managed myself a lot better in the final round.

“I used that experience here at Royal Cape and it’s nice to see an improvement.”

Simon, who dominated with three victories last year, breathed new life into her title challenge this week.

“I didn’t have the greatest of starts at Glendower because the jet-lag caught up with me, but I started gaining form in George,” said Simon, who tied for third at Fancourt.

“The wind was a little tricky, but I drove the ball really well and I managed to pick up six birdies. I finished with two three-putt bogeys at the 16^th and 18^th holes and that was a little disappointing.

“Hopefully I limit the mistakes in the final round and get the job done this week.”

PHOTOS – Melissa Eaton, Nicole Garcia and Ashleigh Simon; credit Catherine Kotze / SASPA.

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