Gauteng take early control in East London
Gauteng threw down the gauntlet with a very solid one-two start in Sunday’s opening round of the 72-Hole Teams Championship in Buffalo City.
Youth Games gold medallist Eleonora Galletti dipped three strokes under par to sign for a 70, while fellow Gauteng B player Natasha Carlsson added a 75 to cement Gauteng’s early advantage in the Swiss Team Trophy with a one-under-par 145 at East London Golf Club.
Reigning Sanlam SA Women’s Amateur Stroke Play champion Ivanna Samu opened with a 72 for a A-team and recent Free State & Northern Cape Open champion Kaleigh Telfer contributed a 74 to put Gauteng in a challenging position with even-par 146.
Cara Gorlei and Ji Sun Kang from Western Province A both returned 75s for a 150 to finish a stroke clear of Gauteng North A and Boland A.
Gauteng North’s Carrie Park carded a 74 and Danielle du Toit registered a 77, while Boland’s Lohbauer and Theron returned respective rounds of 75 and 76.
Meanwhile Eastern Province’s Minette Olivier (74) and Imkeleen Meyer (82) combined for a 156 to take the early lead in the Challenge Trophy.
Western Province C finished three strokes adrift after Katia Shaff posted a 79 and Ashleigh Mills carded an 80.
Border’s Zethu Myeki (79) and Siviwe Duma (81) share third on 160 with Ekurhuleni A’s Sarah Bouch (78) and Caitlyn Macnab (82) and Gauteng C’s Chiara Contomathios (80) and Kajal Mistry (80).
Swiss Team Trophy
145 Gauteng B Eleonora Galletti 70 Natasha Carlsson 75
146 Gauteng A Ivanna Samu 72 Kaleigh Telfer 74
150 Western Province A Cara Gorlei 75 Ji Sun Kang 75
151 Gauteng North A Carrie Park 74 Danielle Du Toit 77; Boland A Bianca Lohbauer 75 Bianca Theron 76
152 Western Province B Zayb Fredericks 75 Kelly Erasmus 77
154 Gauteng North B Ruzanne Van der Walt 75 Larissa Du Preez 79
161 Southern Cape Desiree Geldenhuys 79 Anzelle Zeelie 82
162 Kwazulu Natal A Brittney-Fay Berger 79 Lizzie Currie 83
163 North West A Mae Cornforth 80 Lindi Coetzee 83; Gauteng North C Marike Reyneke 81 Mercedes Kreissel 82
166 Mpumalanga Chanelle Botha 81 Chante Boonstra 85
CHALLENGE TROPHY SCORES – ROUND 1
156 Eastern Province Minette Olivier 74 Imkeleen Meyer 82
159 Western Province C Katia Shaff 79 Ashleigh Mills 80
160 Ekurhuleni A Sarah Bouch 78 Caitlyn Macnab 82; Border Zethu Myeki 79 Siviwe Duma 81; Gauteng C Chiara Contomathios 80 Kajal Mistry 80
162 Kwazulu Natal B Jessica Shurety 80 Sharyn Owen 82
165 WGSA Invitational Team Caro Els 82 Tara Griebenow 83
167 North West B Jhanelle Strydom 83 Frankie Bosman 84
168 Free State & Northern Cape Chante Van Zyl 84 Chante De Lange 84
169 Boland B Leanke Vlok 82 Lynne Behagg 87
174 Limpopo Lenanda Van der Watt 84 Lynn-Mariè Combrink 90
184 Ekurhuleni B Andrea Manuel 92 Carmen Taljaard 92
INDIVIDUAL LEADERBOARD – TOP 10
70 Eleonora Galletti
72 Ivanna Samu
74 Kaleigh Telfer; Minette Olivier; Carrie Park
75 Bianca Lohbauer; Ruzanne van der Walt; Zayb Fredericks; Natasha Carlsson; Cara Gorlei; Ji Sun Kang
Written and released by Lali Stander on behalf of Womens Golf South Africa.