TSHWANE 22 May 2018    Picture:  WP Kelly Erasmus  – credit Ernest Blignaut

Gauteng North A strengthened their bid for Swiss Team Trophy glory with two solid rounds on the second day of the SA Women’s 72-Hole Teams Championship to open up a yawning gap on their closest pursuers.

The home favourites took a five stroke lead into the second day at Waterkloof Golf Club after posting six-under-par 138 in round one.

Larissa du Preez fired a one-over-par 73 and Lenanda van der Watt added a 74 for a second round  three-over 147 that moved the team eight shots clear of Ekurhuleni A.

In the third round, Danielle du Toit shot 73 and Du Preez backed her up with a 75 to keep Gauteng North A in the driver’s seat. The Daisies lead on one-over 433 with Ekurhuleni seven shots back, while the Gauteng A-team finished a further three shots adrift.

Du Toit said the team will keep up the pressure in Wednesday’s final round.

“A seven shot lead is a big margin in a stroke play event, but it’s not a big cushion in a team event,” said the Pretoria Country Club golfer.

“It’s been five years since Gauteng North last won the title, and we want this too much. We won’t rest on our laurels. We have no control over what the other teams will do out there in the final round, so we’ll keep our feet on the gas pedal until we reach the finish line.”

Like most of the competitors in this year’s championship, the Gauteng North team also struggled to come to terms with the greens at the Monument Park layout.

Van der Watt, in particular, was mourning a three-putt at the par five closing hole for par after she hit the green in two in the third round.

“I hit 17 greens in regulation in the morning and made one birdie,” said Van der Walt. “The rest was just a tale of two-putts or lip-outs. It’s like putting on a mirror with slopes. The greens run very true, but difficulty is in getting the pace right. Too hard and it runs past, too soft and it breaks away.

“I was putting for eagle on 18 in the third round and it took me three tries to sink the ball. This course is a real test of patience. You have to keep a lid on your frustration and just move on and keep grinding or it will get to you.”

Meanwhile South Africa’s third ranked Caitlyn Macnab from Ekurhuleni overhauled Du Toit for the lead in the Individual Competition on even-par 216.

The Ebotse golfer posted rounds of 75 and 71 and team mate Sarah Bouch went around the course in loops of 75 and 76 to keep Ekurhuleni in second place.

“The greens are very tricky and it’s easy to drop a shot or two if you hit it to the wrong spot,” said Macnab. “I felt a lot more comfortable out there in the afternoon and I made a lot more putts. The birdies at 16 and 18 helped to get me to 71, but I still had my fair share of misses. Hopefully we all find our rhythm in the last round, because birdies will win this tournament.”

Gauteng’s Woo-Ju Son (72) and Zethu Myeki (75) combined for a second round total of 147. Son followed with a 76 and Kajal Mistry fired a 69 to post the low round of the day and help the team to a third round 145 and third on 443.

 

THIRD ROUND SCORES

433 Gauteng North A 138 Danielle du Toit 67 Larissa du Preez 71; 147 Larissa du Preez 73 Lenanda van der Watt 74; 148 Danielle du Toit 73 Larissa du Preez 75

440 Ekurhuleni A 143 Caitlyn Macnab 70 Casandra Hall 73; 150 Caitlyn Macnab 75 Sarah Bouch 75; 147 Caitlyn Macnab 71 Sarah Bouch 76

443 Gauteng A 151 Zethu Myeki 75 Woo-Ju Son 76; 147 Woo-Ju Son 72 Zethu Myeki 75; 145 Kajal Mistry 69 Woo-Ju Son 76

456 Western Province A 155 Kaylah Williams 76 Kelly Erasmus 79; 153 Kelly Erasmus 75 Kaylah Williams 78; 148 Kaylah Williams 71 Jordan Rothman 77

457 Gauteng B 150 Kaiyuree Moodley 75 Samantha Whateley 75; 153 Kaiyuree Moodley 76 Samantha Whateley 77; 154 Symone Henriques 76 Kaiyuree Moodley 78

458 Southern Cape 155 Sandra Winter 77 Zane Naude 78; 151 Sandra Winter 75 Zane Naude 76; 152 Zane Naude 74 Sandra Winter 78

463 KwaZulu-Natal A 153 Brittney-Fay Berger 74 Michaela Fletcher 79; 156 Brittney-Fay Berger 77 Michaela Fletcher 79; 154 Michaela Fletcher 76 Brittney-Fay Berger 78

465 Gauteng C 157 Eleonora Galletti 77 Lynette Fourie 80; 154 Eleonora Galletti 75 Kera Healey 79; 154 Eleonora Galletti 75 Lynette Fourie 79

467 Western Province B 159 Katia Shaff 79 Zayb Fredericks 80; 154 Zayb Fredericks 77 Katia Shaff 77; 154 Zayb Fredericks 75 Katia Shaff 79

478 Boland A 166 Bianca Wernich 81 Nina Grey 85; 160 Bianca Wernich 76 Nina Grey 84; 152 Bianca Wernich 76 Nina Grey 76

484 Gauteng North B 160 Catherine Lau 78 Holly Lau 82; 160 Catherine Lau 77 Adele Beytell 83; 164 Catherine Lau 80 Holly Lau 84

 

INDIVIDUAL (top 20)

216 Caitlyn Macnab 70 75 71

217 Danielle du Toit 67 77 73

219 Larissa du Preez 71 73 75

222 Kajal Mistry 76 77 69

224 Woo-Ju Son 76 72 76

225 Demi Flanagan 77 74 74; Kaylah Williams 76 78 71; Kiera Floyd 75 73 77; Sarah Bouch 74 75 76

226 Casandra Hall 73 76 77

227 Eleonora Galletti 77 75 75

228 Zane Naude 78 76 74; Zethu Myeki 75 75 78

229 Lenanda van der Watt 79 74 76; Symone Henriques 76 77 76; Kaiyuree Moodley 75 76 78; Brittney-Fay Berger 74 77 78

230 Sandra Winter 77 75 78

231 Chante van Zyl 82 73 76

232 Zayb Fredericks 80 77 75