Telfer takes FS&NC Championship victory
Top junior Kaleigh Telfer ended an agonising 13-month title drought when she cruised to an emphatic four-stroke victory in the Free State and Northern Cape Championship at the end of April.
Telfer, who dominated the Junior Rankings in 2013, finally laid the ghost to rest after a frustrating period following her victory in the Curro South African Juniors International (SAJI) in March last year.
The 16-year-old Olympian carded a final round 72 at Schoemans Park Golf Club to edge out South Africa’s number one ranked Ivanna Samu for the title on five-under-par 211.
Reigning Sanlam SA Amateur Stroke Play champion Samu from Ruimsig settled for the runner-up spot on one under 215, finishing two strokes ahead of Boland’s Bianca Lohbauer.
Gauteng’s Woo-Ju Son finished fourth on three over, one stroke ahead of another Boland player, Bianca Theron.
Telfer laid the foundation for her return to the winner’s circle with a well-executed opening 67.
However, she started the final round three off the pace after Samu hit the front with a six under 66 in the second round.
Telfer overcame a bogey-bogey start with a birdie at the fifth, but surrendered another shot at the sixth hole. She regrouped and played the next 12 holes in two under, mixing 10 pars with birdies at nine and 17.
The victory followed runner-up finishes in the Border Championship and North West Championship, as well as top four finishes in the Pam Golding Properties WGWP Amateur and KwaZulu-Natal Championships.
Lizel Potgieter carded rounds of 89, 81 and 90 to claim the B-Division title to edge out Michelle Holt (86 89 86) by one stroke, while Valda Ford finished a further two strokes adrift after rounds of 86, 93 and 83.
CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION – TOP 10 RESULTS
211 Kaleigh Telfer 67 72 72
215 Ivanna Samu 70 66 79
217 Bianca Lohbauer 74 72 71
219 Woo-Ju Son 67 76 76
220 Bianca Theron 71 73 76
221 Natasha Carlsson 69 77 75; Sarah Bouch 75 69 77
226 Eleonora Galletti 78 75 73
227 Marne Clack 74 75 78
230 Symone Henriques 77 76 77
Written and released by Lali Stander on behalf of Womens Golf South Africa.