Streicher leads strong line up at Nomads SA Girls Rose Bowl

24 April 2021 – Reigning SA Women’s Stroke Play champion Megan Streicher will spearhead the challenge in the Nomads SA Girls Rose Bowl Championship, which tees off at Durbanville Golf Club on Sunday.

The national tournament features a 62-strong field that will contest for glory in the Championship, Silver and Bronze Divisions.

It has been a momentous season so far for the Swellendam junior, looking to add the first of junior golf’s two crown jewel events to her tally.

Streicher was in imperious form in the SA Amateur Championships at Royal Johannesburg & Kensington Golf Club in February. She opened with successive rounds of 72 and closed out a one-stroke victory over defending champion Caitlyn Macnab with a five-under-par 67 on the final day and then celebrated a runner-up finish in the Match Play Championship.

The one-two finishes in Gauteng propelled the 18-year-old to the summit of the GolfRSA Junior Rankings and second in the Open Amateur standings.

Streicher backed up her stellar performances in Womens Golf South Africa flagship events on the provincial circuit since, finishing second in the Free State Open in March and joint third in the Western Province Womens Amateur Stroke Play Championship earlier this month.

The Swellendam junior also held her own among the boys recently to finish fifth in the Bridge Fund Managers Junior Series South Final at King David Mowbray Golf Club on 18 April.

Other top contenders watch out for in the Championship Division include fellow GolfRSA Elite Squad members Kiera Floyd and Samantha Whateley, who was promoted to the top level tier having climbed to fourth in the Open Amateur rankings with four top-10 finishes since the return to competitive golf last October.

The full B-Squad compliment – Ineke Brynard, Kera Healey, Kyra van Kan, Stephaphie Barbaglia and new inductee Isabella van Rooyen – and the six juniors from the Talent Identification Squad – Anika Smit, Chloe Malgas-Kelpin, Ellandri van Heerden, Zara Le Keur, Kesha Louw, Lucia Mhlabane and Tebogo Lefifi – will also join the action, as well as inform Bobbi Brown, recent winner of the Western Province Women’s Amateur Stroke Play at Steenberg Golf Club.

Also testing the waters for the first time on national junior level in the Championship Division is the 2021 SA Women’s Amateur Stroke Play B-Division champion Kaitlyn van de Vyver and Zane Kleynhans, who reached the Flight Division final in the SA Women’s Amateur Match Play Championship.

Meanwhile, Jordan Pillay, Jemma Louw and siblings Anita and Erica Chen will be counting on their home course knowledge to get off to a strong start in the Championship Division.

The Silver Division is a smaller group with a youthful vibe, starting with 10-year-old Lisa Coetzer, 11-year-old Megan Marais and a trio of 13-year-olds in Erin Brinkman, Phenyo Sebata and Gia Raad.

Other competitors include Ashley Huysamen  and Jaden Visagie, both 15, and Isabella Williams, who turned 16 in February. Seventeen-year-olds Kim Albertus, Tyla Potgieter and Thaakirah Bickoo are the oldest contestants in this section.

Huysamen could be one to watch.

The youngster is handicapped at Durbanville Golf Club, but also a member at Devonvale Golf and Wine Estate, and she is bringing some hot form to her home course after winning the Devonvale’s Ladies Club Championship on Saturday.

The Championship and Silver Divisions will be contested over 54 holes, with the first two rounds being played concurrently on day one and the deciding round on Monday.

The 11 participants in the Bronze Division for Handicap Index 15.4 – 29.3 will play 36 holes Individual Stableford, one round each day.

King David Mowbray Golf Club is well presented with five contestants including Sarah Gutuza, Taedi Hansraj, Isabella Heber, Ruah Payle and Zoey Rhoda.

The quintet will do battle with Alexandria Botes from Kimberley Golf Club, Fancourt’s Shane Buitendag, Inde de Beer from Devonvale, Zayaan Hendriks from Royal Cape, Tamsen Skippers from Kuils River and Somerset West’s Alli-Ann van Schalkwyk for the title.

The first round tees off at 07h30 and scores can be viewed on www.golfrsa.com