Williams primed for back-to-back wins
Boland golfer Cassidy Williams is champing at the bit to get going in the Nomads WP Junior Championship after claiming a superb come-from-behind victory in the Boland Junior Championship at Paarl Golf Club on Friday.
The 17-year-old Renish matriculant got her gap-year off to a booming start when she defeated former Nomads SA Girls Rose Bowl champion, Catherine Lau, by one stroke.
Williams was the only player to break par in the first round.
The Boland golfer followed an opening 71 with a 73 to carry a six stroke lead into the final round, but a rough start nearly derailed her campaign.
Williams opened the door for Lau when she dropped eight strokes on the front nine, but the teenager dug deep to stem the bleeding and launch a comeback on the back nine.
“I started really badly and it went downhill from there,” said the Stellenbosch golfer. “I double bogeyed the first, dropped a shot at the second and had another double at the third.
“When we reached the turn, Catherine was one stroke ahead of me. I had a quiet talk to myself. I could either mope about the front nine, or try to make the best of the last nine holes and see where it left me.”
Williams made up the deficit with three birdies within the first five holes on the back stretch.
She pulled two strokes ahead, but Lau notched back-to-back birdies at 16 and 17 to reel Williams back in.
“We both got to the 18th green in three strokes and our putts were pretty equal,” said Williams.
“I knew it was do-or-die time. I got it in the hole for two, while Catherine three-putted. I’m really thrilled to start the season like this. Hopefully I can take this form Durbanville Golf Club on the weekend.”
Williams signed for a 78 to finish on six-over-par 222, while Woodhill’s Lau took sole second on 223 with rounds of 73, 77 and 73.
Kaiyuree Moodley finished third on 228. The 11-year-old Gauteng golfer finished two strokes clear of Manon Lassalarie from Reunion, Brittany-Fay Berger from KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng’s Woo-Ju Son.
Williams matriculated last year and is planning to play golf full-time in her gap-year.
“I would love to make this a career and turn pro in the future,” she said.
“This year is all about playing golf and finding out if this can become a reality. I’m excited to get going at Durbanville Golf Club and to see how I do.
“I will play a lot more events this year and make an informed decision about my career at the end of it.”
Charney Williams won the 36 hole B-Division with rounds of 85 and 79.
The Kingswood golfer finished five strokes ahead of Zimbabwe’s Danielle Bekker, who carded rounds of 86 and 83 for a total of 169.
Fellow Kingswood golfer Sylken-Leigh November won the Stableford C-Division with 75 points after rounds of 34 and 41, while Tanya Adams won the D-Division on a count-out from Mowbray club-mate, Nikita Bossir, after both players registered 63 points.
Written and released by Lali Stander on behalf of Womens Golf South Africa.