Class-act Orton doubles up in Northern Cape

Lumien Orton proved that form is temporary but class is permanent as the former top ranked amateur marched to a second trophy finish in eight weeks, courtesy of a one-shot victory at the Northern Cape Championship in Kimberly on Monday.

Just under two months since she defeated Symone Henriques on her way to claiming the Sanlam SA Women’s Amateur Championship title, Orton opened with a 72 and fired successive rounds of 73 at the Kimberley Golf Club to deny the Gauteng teenager once again.

“Winning the SA Amateur was so special, but this one means almost more, because it proves to me that the SA Amateur wasn’t a flash in the pan,” said Orton, who triumphed on two over par 218.

Orton was one of the country’s top ranked amateurs when she turned pro in 2009, but her sojourn in the pro ranks lasted just a year and soon after, she gave up the game completely.

“I got married and my husband and I joined the family brokerage business here in Kimberly,” Orton explained. “I switched to running and I completed two Comrades and Two Oceans Marathons.

“In 2014, I regained my amateur status and played socially, but after we were burgled and our clubs were stolen, we bought ourselves new clubs and gave them a test run on holiday at Sun City in December. “I guess that’s where the golf bug bit me again.

“I started playing club competitions on Wednesday’s and Saturday’s and slowly, my passion for golf returned. To be honest, I didn’t really back myself at the SA Amateur and I surprised a lot of people, including myself, when I beat Cara (Gorlei) in the final round.

“To win the Northern Cape Championship so quickly and in such tough conditions in the final round is hugely encouraging for me.”

The 29-year-old from Schoemans Park began the final round two shots behind 36-hole leader Zethu Myeki and one stroke off the pace from Henriques.

“The first two rounds were perfect, but the wind blew pretty hard when we started,” Orton said. “We were told after that the wind gusted at 45 km per hour and you could really feel it out there. It was tough to make the right club selection, because this course isn’t really built for the wind.

“The holes playing into the wind were incredibly long, but I think my patience and experience, especially on the back nine, won the day. I was able to offset two bogeys with birdies and the second birdie at 16 ultimately won the title for me.”

A-DIVISION RESULT
218 Lumien Orton 72 73 73
219 Symone Henriques 74 70 75
224 Zethu Myeki 72 71 81
225 Chante Van Zyl 71 77 77
226 Brittney-Fay Berger 76 74 76
232 Jenefer Haw 77 76 79
234 Caitlyn Macnab 80 78 76
236 Sarah Bouch 79 76 81
253 Lynne Behagg 81 85 87
269 Magri Beukes 91 87 91; Magdel Du Toit 88 93 88

B-DIVISION (Top 3)
278 Katya Henriques 90 96 92
299 Tanya Lightley 101 98 100
303 Andrea Lockyear 102 99 102

C-DIVISION (Top 3)
275 Elizabeth Lightley 88 90 97
288 Susan Alexander 102 95 91; Mikah Poonawassy 94 96 98

Written and released by Lali Stander on behalf of the South African Golf Association and Womens Golf South Africa.

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