Millard & Van Schalkwyk celebrate at Sun City

6 July 2024 – Saving her best golf for the final round at the Gary Player Country Club, two-time Zimbabwe Junior Open champion Charlotte Millard fired a one-over-par 73 to clinch her national breakthrough on the GolfRSA junior circuit with a resounding three shot victory in the Nomads SA Girls Championship, presented by Sun International.

“This is the one event I have wanted to win since I started playing competitive golf. It’s a dream come true,” said the smiling champion as she held the trophy aloft.

Millard began the final round four shots adrift of fellow KwaZulu-Natal native Olivia Wood, who led the challenge on 150, and was one behind defending champion Gia Raad. Showing the same tenacity and fighting spirit that saw her successfully overtake opposition to defend her title in Zimbabwe just a few months ago, she fought her way to victory.

WATCH: Charlotte Millard lifts the 2024 Nomads SA Girls title

“This course is so tough, and I struggled over the first two rounds. When you are struggling, you pay the price. I definitely learned from my mistakes on the previous two days, and I managed to navigate the course so much better in the final round,” the 18-year-old Central Gauteng junior said.

“I made a double on six, but I fought my way back to level after nine holes, and then finished it off good. That was the difference. Olivia and Gia played great golf, and it was really tight over the first nine holes. I made a few mistakes, but I also made a lot of pars. I sunk a birdie putt on the 15th to have a two-shot lead going into the last three holes, and I quiet like those holes.

“It’s such a special event with a great history and I love this course, so I am really proud to be the 2024 champion and to be winner at the Gary Player.”

CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION TOP 10
227 Charlotte Millard 77 77 73
230 Olivia Wood 76 74 80
231 Kesha Louw 78 80 73
232 Gio Raad 77 76 79
233 Lourenda Steyn 78 81 74; Zané Kleynhans 80 75 78
236 Zané Fourie 81 81 74
237 Casey Twidale 77 82 78
238 Yuanzhen Wei 79 80 79; Phenyo Sebata 86 73 79; Stephanie Barbaglia 81 74 83

SILVER DIVISION

It was an equally memorable week for Western Province junior Ali-Ann Van Schalkwyk, who made her first appearance in the Nomads SA Girls as a beginner in the Copper Division.

The 14-year-old, who plays out of Somerset West Golf Club, carded rounds of 85, 91 and 86 to claim her first national success with an emphatic 10-shot victory.

“Since I joined the Western Province development programme, I’ve dreamt of winning a national title, and I am so proud to have achieved my golf,” said the Silver Division winner.

“It was really tough in the final round. I had to keep my emotions in check, especially when I dropped shots. I just kept telling myself to stay in the moment and to take things shot-for-shot. The highlight of the tournament for me was my birdie on the 15th. That was when I believed I could win it, and I did!

WATCH: Ali-Ann van Schalkwyk celebrates success at Sun City

“A big shout-out to Nomads for hosting this event and the Nomads SA Girls Rose Bowl, because it gives youngsters a chance to compete against the best in the country and inspires us to keep improving and to reach for the stars.”

SILVER DIVISION TOP 10
262 Ali-Ann van Schalkwyk 85 91 86
263 Danielle van der Merwe 89 87 87
268 Maryam Mwakitawa 93 85 90; Monique Fourie 88 88 92
270 Kaitlyn Rix 92 88 90; Timmezane Andrin 92 85 93
273 Rinao Maanda Makhado 92 92 89
275 Vuyolwethu Nkota 91 91 93
277 Anika Weber 100 86 91
278 Cindy Moreki 97 88 93

Our heartfelt gratitude to the Nomads Golf Club of South Africa and the Furtherance of Golf committee for their continuous support of junior golf.

WATCH: The #insidescoop on the Nomads SA Girls Championship

Thank you Nomads, Sun International and Sun City for partnering with GolfRSA to give our emerging talent a strong national competitive platform where they can gain experience, improve their skills and test themselves at the highest level.