Smith seals SA Women’s Mid-Amateur double

ST FRANCIS, 4 November 2015 – Vanessa Smith from Western Province achieved a memorable SA Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship double on a windswept day at St Francis Links on Wednesday.

2015 SA Women’s Mid-Amateur champion Vanessa Smith; credit WGSA
2015 SA Women’s Mid-Amateur champion Vanessa Smith; credit WGSA

The flagship event had been reduced to 36 holes after torrential rain caused the first round to be abandoned, but the sun shone on Smith as she thwarted bids from former champions Sandra Winter and Sonja Bland in the final round to triumph.

Smith was one off the pace after an opening 79, but the 37-year-old Milnerton golfer bravely battled a very strong wind to sign for 80 in the final round and win by eight strokes on 15 over 159.

Two-time champion Winter from Kingswood took second with rounds of 84 and 83.

Bland, the winner in 2013, carded 89 in the first round and lagged 11 strokes behind pacesetter Desi Earle from Limpopo.

The Fancourt golfer reeled in four birdies on her way to a 79 to vault to third on 24 over.

Smith was thrilled with the victory, especially given the tough scoring conditions.

“We had to contend with a drizzle and a stiff breeze in the first round, but today the wind was absolutely brutal,” she said.

“I often play in windy conditions at my home course, so I tried to take advantage at the holes with the wind and just tried to hit the fairways and greens at the holes into the wind.

“Some of the holes here are so tight and protected by bush on both sides, and it was really tough to keep it in play in that three-club wind.

“I didn’t have the time to prepare that well this year due to work pressure and I am so pleased that I was still able to defend my title. This victory was very, very sweet.

“It was a great pity that our first round was rained out, but it was a fantastic championship nonetheless and Jeff Clause and the staff were absolutely brilliant.”

Meanwhile the battle for the B-Division title went down the wire.

Carina Theron from Free State and Southern Cape import Erica Millican tied at 35 over in regulation play and the pair set off to the eighth tee to start a sudden-death play-off. Both players parred eighth, but Millican clinched the title when she holed out for par at nine.

“It was the first time that either of us played in a play-off and we were both incredibly nervous,” said Millican, who recently moved from Nottingham Road in KwaZulu-Natal to Plettenberg Bay.

“I’ve been playing golf for 32 years, but I honestly felt like a beginner.

“Of course, they had to start us on the toughest hole on the course. By the time we got to the green, I was shaking like a leaf over the putt and I missed a 2-footer to win the hole.

“I was a lot calmer down nine and I hit a great drive. I had 125 metres to the pin and hit a solid nine-iron into the wind and two-putted for the win. It was a fantastic championship and I am so pleased to go back to Plett with this title in the bag.”

Former Southern Cape Ladies’ Golf president Rita Heroldt took the C-Division on 62 points after posting rounds of 36 and 26.

A-DIVISION RESULT

159 Vanessa Smith 79 80

167 Sandra Winter 84 83

168 Sonja Bland 89 79

171 Maggie Minnie 86 85; Millie Zim-Dondashe 85 86

172 Desiree Earle 78 94

176 Lynn Slogrove 84 92

177 Amanda Ogden 89 88; Desiree Geldenhuys 85 92

180 Linkie Malan 86 94

181 Sheryl Matthews 90 91

182 Adele Beytell 93 89; Lynne Behagg 90 92

184 Michelle Witts-Hewinson 95 89

B-DIVISION RESULT

179 Erica Millican 87 92 (play-off, 2nd hole)

179 Carina Theron 92 87

180 Heather Kruger 88 92

188 Litha Matthysen 92 96

190 Annamie Van Rensburg 91 99

191 Dale Ball 96 95

193 Annette Lawson 105 88; Michelle Holt 100 93

194 Louise Van Niekerk 96 98

196 Linda Jordaan 107 89

197 Mary Louise Du Plessis 99 98

198 Sharon Botha 93 105

199 Shelley Sykes 104 95; Debbie Catlett 100 99

200 Sanett Roberts 105 95; Thelma Dippenaar 101 99

201 Erika Taljaard 91 110

202 Martine Strasheim 104 98

203 Gill Van der Meulen 97 106

205 Esta Tennent 104 101; Lorraine Slabbert 100 105

206 Tanya Lightley 106 100

207 Marie Muller 108 99

208 Kerry-Ann Murgatroyd 106 102

209 Marita Durant 109 100; Loraine Smit 106 103

211 Theresa McCabe 109 102; Cathy Bezuidenhout 101 110

213 Wendy Carruthers 104 109

214 Karen Gird 114 100; Karen Schoombie 111 103; Marlene Botha 111 103

218 Joan Solms 123 95

220 Maureen Marsay 106 114

222 Lorein De Wit 106 116

223 Jenny Du Preez 117 106

229 Maryna Groenewald 119 110

236 Nicci Taylor 113 123

DQN Elmerie Trytsman 99 DQN

C-DIVISION RESULT

62 Margaretha Herholdt 36 26

59 Louise Pitout 26 33

54 Susan Wright 28 26

52 Beverley Weijters 26 26

50 Lynette Lotriet 27 23

49 Judy Katzenellenbogen 29 20

48 Linda Erasmus 31 17

47 Isobel Cocks 20 27; Tracy Thesen 25 22

46 Paula Grobbelaar 25 21

44 Noelene de Ridder 22 22; Marelize Church 26 18

43 Tersia Swanepoel 22 21; Hettie Steenberg 23 20

42 Carol Paxton 27 15

39 Tina Wood 18 21; Roenel Basson 20 19; Pamela Sanders 22 17; Martie Jelliman 24 15

35 Lynn Wessels 14 21

31 Margaret Maytham 10 21

23 Cheryl Delport 15 8

21 Lynn Van Biljon 7 14 

Written and released by Lali Stander on behalf of Women’s Golf South Africa.

Lali Stander

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