Galletti throws down gauntlet for Sanlam SA Women’s Amateur

Johannesburg amateur Eleonora Galletti heads into this week’s Sanlam SA Women’s Amateur Championship even more confident of her chances following her victory in the 36-hole stroke play at Ruimsig Country Club on Sunday.

The stroke play serves as a seeding tournament for the main match play championship from Monday to Wednesday.

The 16-year-old Galletti secured the position of top seed with an impressive five-under-par 67 in her afternoon round, and following a three-over-par 75 in the morning.

That gave her a winning total of two under par, two strokes better than home favourite Ivanna Samu.

“That 67 surprised me as well,” said Galletti, who tied her lowest round this year.

It was an incredible turnaround from her morning performance, and with Bertine Strauss leading the way there with a round of three under.

“I made some stupid mistakes in the morning round. Then in the afternoon I drove it a whole lot better and my overall game improved. After the morning I told myself I’ve done this before and I can do it again,” she said of her six birdies and one bogey in the afternoon.

Galletti has been building to this kind of performance, with a level of consistency that eventually earned her a title in the Nomads Gauteng Stroke Play Championship last month.

“I’ve never won a tournament as big as this, and I feel confident coming into this. I think my chances in the match play are very good.”

Her improved putting in the afternoon will also be a key factor in her title bid, with the Ruimsig greens running fast for this championship.

“I holed some long birdie putts so I’m happy with my putting. But the greens are incredibly fast, so you have to putt well.”

Samu, who plays out of Ruimsig, agreed that putting would be the deciding factor in this championship.

“The greens here are fast and tricky. That was my problem today. The putts just didn’t drop,” said the Roodepoort amateur, who is in good form ahead of this championship with two wins and 10 top-10s this year.

“I know I’m playing my home course, but I’m just trying to see it as another round of golf. I enjoy match play because anything can happen on the day.”

Carrie Park, winner of the Sanlam SA Women’s Amateur Stroke Play Championship earlier this year, finished tied third with the experienced Strauss on one over par on Sunday.

TOP 10 RESULTS
142 – Eleonora Galletti (75, 67)
144 – Ivanna Samu (73, 71)
145 – Carrie Park (71, 74), Bertine Strauss (69, 76)
147 – Lora Assad (74, 73), Michaela Fletcher (72, 75)
148 – Eugenie Clack (74, 74), Michelle Swanepoel (73, 75)
151 – Lara Weinstein (76, 75), Magda Kruger (75, 76)

Written by Michael Vlismas on behalf of Sanlam and Womens Golf South Africa.

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