Samu seizes joint third in Wales

Solid putting and ball striking handed South Africa’s number one ranked Ivanna Samu a share of third in the first round of the Girl’s British Open Amateur Qualifying in Wales on Tuesday.

The 17-year-old fired an opening three-under-par 70 to join Patricia Garre from Spain. The pair is one shot behind Sweden’s Julia Engstrom and just two off the pace from first round leader Paula Neira from Spain.

Samu offset bogeys at the first and ninth holes at Royal St. David’s Golf Club with a pair of birdies at seven and eight to turn level par. She also bogeyed the 10th, but then the putts began to drop.

The Ruimsig junior reeled in back-to-back birdies at 11 and 12 and notched a trio of gains at 14, 15 and 16.

She gave another shot back at 17, but signed off with a solid par at the short 18th for her 70.

“I was hitting the ball really nicely and putting well,” Samu said.

“It was my lucky day today and hopefully I can go out tomorrow and play just as well.”

Let’s hope some of that good fortune swings the way of Samu’s compatriot and fellow Gauteng junior Kaleigh Telfer.

The reigning Sanlam SA Women’s Amateur Stroke Play champion struggled to a battling 90 and will be keen to bounce back on Wednesday.

FIRST ROUND LEADERBOARD (Top 10)
68 Paula Neira ESP
69 Julia Engstrom SWE
70 Patricia Garre ESP; Ivanna Samu RSA
71 Raquel Olmos Ros ESP; Isobel Wardle ENG; Samantha Fuller ENG; Tiffany Arafi SWI; Celine Borge NOR; Niamh McSherry IRE
72 Blanca Fernandez Garcia-Pog ESP; Madelene Stavnar NOR; Beatrice Wallin SWE; Arianna Scaletti ITA; Alison Muirhead SCO
90 Kaleigh Telfer RSA