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San Lameer - Some of South Africa’s top ranked amateurs showed maturity beyond their years when they took to the stage in the rain-hit first round of the Cell C SA Women’s Open on Thursday.
As if the pressure of teeing it up with top local and international stars was not enough, high winds and torrential rain intensified the tight and tough layout of the challenging course at San Lameer Country Club.
However, when the siren signalled an hour-long suspension at 14:45, Kaleigh Telfer, Carrie Park and Shawnelle de Lange were thrilled to find themselves in some esteemed company.
Telfer tied for fifth at two under with South Africa’s top golfer, Lee-Anne Pace, and recent Spanish Open champion, Connie Chen, while De Lange and reigning Sanlam SA Stroke Play champion Park are at even-par alongside two-time SA Women’s Open champion, Ashleigh Simon.
Telfer was thrilled to share space on the leaderboard with Pace and Chen.
“I hit a really bad tee shot at the seventh, so I’ll probably end with a bogey, but at least for tonight I can say I tied with Lee-Anne and Connie at the SA Women’s Open,” she gushed.
The 16-year-old’s flawless card sported birdies at the 13th and 15th through six holes.
“I had no idea what was happening on the leaderboard, but now I’ll have to work hard to make up the two shots. I’m not really worried, though,” she said.
“This isn’t about winning, it’s about gaining the experience. Despite the weather and the delays, this has been absolutely fantastic.”
A large number of amateurs will have to return to the course at the crack of dawn on Friday to resume the first round at 06:30.
Natasha Carlsson, however, will enjoy a well-deserved lie-in after signing for a 79.
“I’m really happy that I got the monkey off my back,” the Bryanston golfer said after a bogey start, a birdie at the 15th and a double-bogey at the 18th.
“I was pretty steady on the back nine and had just a soft bogey at the third. But then I went and dropped four shots in the last three holes. I was really disappointed with the finish.”
Her playing partners from the United Kingdom, Lucy Williams and Kelsey MacDonald, returned respective rounds of 73 and 77.
“It was great to watch the pros,” Carlsson said.
“I noticed they used a lot of irons off the tees. I stuck with my driver, because it’s my go-to club and I hit it really straight and it was nice that I kept up with them.”
Rebecca Hudson from England and Steffi Kirchmayr from Germany set the early clubhouse lead at three-under-par 69.
Meanwhile KZN’s Tiffany Avern-Taplin carded an opening 78 to tie Womens Golf South Africa’s Assistant National Coach, Anna Becker-Frankel.
Completed scores:
78 Tiffany Avern-Taplin
79 Natasha Carlsson
81 Carmia van Wyk
82 Ivanna Samu; Danielle du Toit
84 Michelle Swanepoel
85 Magda Kruger
Incomplete Scores (holes completed in brackets):
-2 Kaleigh Telfer
Lvl Carrie Park (6); Shawnelle de Lange (6)
+1 Lizzie Currie (6)
+2 Eleonora Galletti (12)
+3 Chrystal Cooper (9)
+4 Monja Richards (9)
As if the pressure of teeing it up with top local and international stars was not enough, high winds and torrential rain intensified the tight and tough layout of the challenging course at San Lameer Country Club.
However, when the siren signalled an hour-long suspension at 14:45, Kaleigh Telfer, Carrie Park and Shawnelle de Lange were thrilled to find themselves in some esteemed company.
Telfer tied for fifth at two under with South Africa’s top golfer, Lee-Anne Pace, and recent Spanish Open champion, Connie Chen, while De Lange and reigning Sanlam SA Stroke Play champion Park are at even-par alongside two-time SA Women’s Open champion, Ashleigh Simon.
Telfer was thrilled to share space on the leaderboard with Pace and Chen.
“I hit a really bad tee shot at the seventh, so I’ll probably end with a bogey, but at least for tonight I can say I tied with Lee-Anne and Connie at the SA Women’s Open,” she gushed.
The 16-year-old’s flawless card sported birdies at the 13th and 15th through six holes.
“I had no idea what was happening on the leaderboard, but now I’ll have to work hard to make up the two shots. I’m not really worried, though,” she said.
“This isn’t about winning, it’s about gaining the experience. Despite the weather and the delays, this has been absolutely fantastic.”
A large number of amateurs will have to return to the course at the crack of dawn on Friday to resume the first round at 06:30.
Natasha Carlsson, however, will enjoy a well-deserved lie-in after signing for a 79.
“I’m really happy that I got the monkey off my back,” the Bryanston golfer said after a bogey start, a birdie at the 15th and a double-bogey at the 18th.
“I was pretty steady on the back nine and had just a soft bogey at the third. But then I went and dropped four shots in the last three holes. I was really disappointed with the finish.”
Her playing partners from the United Kingdom, Lucy Williams and Kelsey MacDonald, returned respective rounds of 73 and 77.
“It was great to watch the pros,” Carlsson said.
“I noticed they used a lot of irons off the tees. I stuck with my driver, because it’s my go-to club and I hit it really straight and it was nice that I kept up with them.”
Rebecca Hudson from England and Steffi Kirchmayr from Germany set the early clubhouse lead at three-under-par 69.
Meanwhile KZN’s Tiffany Avern-Taplin carded an opening 78 to tie Womens Golf South Africa’s Assistant National Coach, Anna Becker-Frankel.
Completed scores:
78 Tiffany Avern-Taplin
79 Natasha Carlsson
81 Carmia van Wyk
82 Ivanna Samu; Danielle du Toit
84 Michelle Swanepoel
85 Magda Kruger
Incomplete Scores (holes completed in brackets):
-2 Kaleigh Telfer
Lvl Carrie Park (6); Shawnelle de Lange (6)
+1 Lizzie Currie (6)
+2 Eleonora Galletti (12)
+3 Chrystal Cooper (9)
+4 Monja Richards (9)
