CAPE TOWN (26 April 2016) – Johannesburg’s Kaleigh Telfer claimed her maiden Sanlam SA Women’s Amateur Stroke Play Championship title when she won by six strokes at Westlake Golf Club on Tuesday.
Michael Vlismas – The 17-year-old Telfer closed with a tournament low of three-under-par 69 to win on one over par. Eleonora Galletti and Kenako’s Azelia Meichtry shared second place on seven over par.
“I’m a little bit speechless. I’ve been working towards this for a very long time so I’m just glad it came when it did,” said Telfer.
The Bryanston Country Club golfer took a two-stroke lead into the final round and didn’t have the best of starts with bogeys at the second and third holes to fall back into the chasing pack.
“I was very nervous at the start so I just told myself to relax and be patient,” she said.
Telfer birdied the fourth and then holed a 25-footer for eagle on the par-five seventh hole that effectively ended any challenge to her title chase as she moved four strokes clear of the field. And she added two birdies on the back nine for a comfortable win.
Galletti made a bit of a run with her three birdies in four holes from the 10th to close the gap to three strokes at that stage. But none of Telfer’s fellow competitors had it in them to make a serious run at her lead.
“That eagle kicked me into gear and I started playing like I wanted to. I was aware of my lead but I was still quite nervous over the last few holes. But I managed to stay calm and keep it together,” said Telfer, who struggled to find her rhythm in the first two rounds.
“I thought the course would be quite easy but in the first round the pin positions were tough and the trees are also very close to the fairway, so it turned out to be a lot tougher than I thought. But I’m just really pleased with this win. I’ve worked really hard on my game and I’m pleased it’s paid off.”
For Women’s Golf South Africa President Karen Olivant, Telfer’s victory capped a highly successful championship in the Cape.
“The whole country is in the grip of a drought and Westlake presented an amazing course for the golfers. We had 101 entries overall, which was pleasing. And Kaleigh is a deserved champion. She’s come on in leaps and bounds over the last 18 months and her representing South Africa on the international stage has really helped her cope with such a big stage as this.”
Final Scores:
217 Kaleigh Telfer 74 74 69
223 Eleonora Galletti 76 75 72; Azelia Meichtry 75 75 73
225 Kajal Mistry 75 76 74
227 Casandra Hall 79 77 71; Brittney-Fay Berger 78 72 77
228 Danielle Du Toit 75 76 77
229 Zethu Myeki 76 77 76
230 Ivanna Samu 81 76 73; Woo-Ju Son 81 72 77; Chante Van Zyl 74 79 77
231 Symone Henriques 81 76 74; Demi Flanagan 79 78 74
232 Chiara Contomathios 82 75 75
234 Lumien Orton 82 76 76; Caitlyn Macnab 77 83 74
235 Zayb Fredericks 82 78 75; Catherine Lau 80 78 77; Sarah Bouch 79 82 74; Michelle Swanepoel 78 79 78
236 Danielle Bekker ZIM 83 74 79; Siviwe Duma 82 78 76
237 Ethel Ruthenberg 79 80 78
238 Lindi Coetzee 80 79 79
239 Ashleigh Mills 79 83 77
242 Lizzie Currie 83 76 83
243 Justine Botten 82 81 80
244 Kelsey Nicholas 87 78 79; Lynette Pretorius 85 82 77; Caro Els 82 83 79
246 Desiree Geldenhuys 90 74 82; Natasha Carlsson 83 81 82; Adele Beytell 82 79 85
247 Shawnelle De Lange 79 87 81
248 Kaiyuree Moodley 80 85 83
249 Minette Olivier 84 80 85
250 Zilke Bal 92 80 78; Vicki Traut 86 82 82; Aaliyah Abrahams 84 81 85
251 Jenefer Haw 85 81 85
252 Tara Griebenow 88 83 81; Ginger Delacretaz 86 83 83
253 Katia Shaff 91 80 82; Yolanda Duma 89 80 84; Cara Ford 82 84 87
254 Nadia Van der Westhuizen 90 85 79
256 Emelia Coetzer 88 84 84; Elsune Roode 87 86 83; Bianca Wernich 85 89 82; Lynne Behagg 83 88 85
257 Loice Chingono ZIM 86 85 86
258 Cassidy Williams 92 85 81; Odette Booysen 86 87 85
259 Chloe Royston 94 85 80; Amanda Ogden 91 86 82; Iman Adams 88 85 86; Adrienne Kruger 86 86 87; Chante Boonstra 83 95 81
260 Gabrelle Venter 85 87 88
261 Kim De Klerk 84 88 89
262 Lisa Kowen 92 86 84; Zanele Mazibuko 88 85 89
264 Noluthando Mdanda 92 86 86; Klara Wildhaber 92 85 87; Pippa Payne 90 91 83
265 Anzel Van der Schyff 87 91 87
267 Cherie Siebert 87 93 87
268 Chanelle Botha 92 91 85; Leanke Vlok 90 92 86
269 Sarah Osborn 93 85 91
270 Marinda Pretorius 92 86 92; Valda Ford 90 89 91
271 Adel Van Dyk 90 92 89
273 Jessica Carrie Green 88 95 90
278 Jordan Rothman 95 94 89
279 Hijke Pretorius 98 96 85
282 Courtney Sykes 99 90 93
284 Magdel du Toit 92 94 98
288 Nadia Lawrance 97 100 91
DQ Crystal Beukes 78 85 DQ
B Division
261 Tessa Granger 89 88 84
269 Cleo Jordaan 95 89 85
270 Petrone Rudolph 94 92 84
271 Di Brooks 95 89 87
272 Kate Brown 91 92 89
275 Olivia McKinlay 92 87 96
276 Gwen Ortlepp 89 90 97
278 Kayla Paulsen 95 90 93; Genee Kallista Marais 94 98 86; Sylken November 93 92 93
282 La-Eeqah Adams 97 91 94
283 Thelma Dippenaar 95 96 92
286 Lizzy Thomson 95 94 97
293 Sinead Rice 96 103 94
297 Linda Peacock 96 99 102
309 Andrea Van Dyk 109 100 100
323 Lelani Mbukwane 106 114 103
340 Tlotlego Christy More 109 116 115
