Bertine and Connie tie the lead at SA Girls

Only the Championship 9 and under handicap division played today and teed off at 7.30 this morning in icy conditions with the fairways covered in frost.

South Africa’s top juniors, together with Namibian Bonita Bredenhann, played in the last four three balls and all of them are capable of winning the event. After nine holes, fourteen year old Lara Weinstein was leading the field at two under, playing with her Jakarta World Junior Championship team-mate Bertine Strauss who at that state was level par.

However at the 10th hole, both of them went off-line and pulled their drives into the Vaal River! Bertine recovered to drop only one shot to Lara’s double drop and Lara dropped again on 13 and double dropped at 16 to finish on three over par 75.

Bertine birdied 11 to go back to level but dropped with a three putt at the par 3 12th hole. However she birdied 17 to finish level par and a tie of the lead.

Also finishing on level par was Connie Chen who was one over after nine, then dropped at 13 but birdied 15 and 17 to tied the lead on 72.

In third place is Bonita Bredenhann, playing consistent golf but after drops at the par 3 7th and 16th, lifted her game with an explosive eagle three at 17 – her trade mark at South African tournaments – but unfortunately dropped a shot at 18 to finish at one over par 73.

A first time entry to this event and coming straight into the Championship division is 16 year old Gauteng North’s Anel Herselman who has only been playing golf for 18 months. Playing off a four handicap, she scored a three over par 75 to tie in fourth place with Lara Weinstein.

Tomorrow, the Championship division plays round two while all other divisions start the tournament with their first round. 144 Girls aged 18 and under are competing in this annual championship which is sponsored by the wonderful men of Nomads.