Sizzling Samu crowned Ackerman champion
Reigning Sanlam SA Women’s Amateur champion Ivanna Samu racked up her fourth victory this season with an impressive wire-to-wire triumph in the 34th Ackerman Championship at Clovelly Golf Club on Sunday.
The 15-year-old Ruimsig golfer took a commanding five stroke lead in the Gus Ackerman Division with an opening 73 and protected her advantage with a second round 76.
The Gauteng golfer weathered a slight stumble towards the end of the final round and rallied with a closing birdie after a double bogey at the 15th and bogey at the 17th for a 71 to win by five strokes from Amy Henning on four-over-par 220.
The victory marks the second time that Samu upstaged the local players to win in the Western Province this season.
She claimed the Pam Golding Properties Western Province Championship for her first senior provincial title at Somerset West Golf Club in March, the Gauteng 54-Hole Championship in May and defeated Lora Assad 2&1 in the Sanlam SA Women’s Amateur at her home course in August.
The victory will further boost her top 10 ranking in Womens Golf South Africa’s Senior Rankings and underlines her growing stature as an emerging star in the women’s amateur ranks.
Meanwhile Milnerton’s Henning significantly improved on a first round 81 with rounds of 76 and 68 to finish in sole second on 225.
Fellow Western Province golfer, Sammy Barber (81, 79 and 74) finished third on 234, two strokes ahead of Natasha Carlsson from Bryanston (80, 83 and 73).
Boland Championship Match Play winner, Chiara Contomathios, returned rounds of 74, 73 and 80 to finish in fifth on 237.
Cherylynn Croome lifted the Raymond Ackerman Trophy in the B-Division with a winning score of 172 and Amore Steyn scored a runaway victory the C-Division.
Croome from Atlantic Beach carded rounds of 92 and 80 to beat Aaliyah Abrahams from Rondebosch Golf Club by two strokes.
Steyn from Devonvale Golf Estate was tied with Tegan Childs after an opening 93, but pulled away from the local favourite with a second round 91 and beat Childs by six strokes to lift the Jonathan Ackerman Trophy.
A-DIVISION – TOP 10
220 Ivanna Samu 73 76 71
225 Amy Henning 81 76 68
234 Samantha Barber 81 79 74
236 Natasha Carlsson 80 83 73
237 Chiara Contomathios 84 73 80
238 Ashleigh Mills 82 77 79; Vicki Traut 78 79 81
240 Crystal Beukes 86 73 81; Jamie-Lee Daniels 82 81 77; Caitlyn Macnab 82 80 78
B-DIVISION – TOP 10
172 Cherylynn Croome 92 80
174 Aaliyah Abrahams 92 82
175 Odette Booysen 92 83; Nadia Van der Westhuizen 84 91
177 Iman Adams 92 85; Adrienne Kruger 90 87; Hijke Pretorius 89 88
178 Kayla Paulsen 88 90
181 Valda Ford 93 88
182 Laylaah Abrahams 93 89; Dianne Mostert 89 93
C-DIVISION – TOP 10
184 Amore Steyn 93 91
190 Tegan Childs 93 97
194 Charlene Faint 95 99
195 Jacqueline White 98 97
197 Michelle Godfrey 97 100; Christan Booysen 96 101
198 Jessica Ward 92 106
202 Sandy Terry 101 101
104 Glenda Muller 100 104
205 Leja Duggie 102 103
Written and released by Lali Stander on behalf of Womens Golf South Africa.