Lee-Anne Pace was the leading South African on Thursday as she carded four-under-par 68 in the first round of the Investec South African Women’s Open Championship at Erinvale Country & Golf Estate.
England’s Rosie Davies and Switzerland’s Elena Moosmann share the lead after the pair opened with rounds of six-under-par 66. In solo third sits Norway’s Julie Boysen Hillestad on five-under par, and seven players round out the top-10 in a tie for fourth on four-under par. The group includes Order of Merit number one Bronte Law, compatriots Annabell Fuller, Hannah Burke, and Liz Young from England, France’s Nastasia Nadaud, Sweden’s Lisa Pettersson and five-time winner Pace.
The South African legend said: “I do love this event. But I really like this golf course as well. To be honest, I probably should have gone quite a bit lower, but then I figured some stuff out with my putting. My caddie was also great. He’s local here, my first time here this week. I just really enjoyed being out with him. And great sunshine.
“Lucky number six, I’m going for it! That’s for sure. I had so many messages this week about lucky number six. So it’s definitely in my mind and I’m trying to go for it.”
Moosmann was one of the few to post a bogey-free round on Thursday and played with the confidence she says she gained from seeing her friend Tamburlini win last week’s Joburg Ladies Open.
“It definitely inspired me to see Chiara up there and winning. I play a lot of golf with her and our games are more or less at the same level, so to see her win makes you realise it’s possible for us,” said Moosmann.
“I felt good all day and used my chances. My drives were really good and I hit a lot of fairways, and my putter was hot for the birdie chances I gave myself. I love it here. The views are amazing, and the course is in great condition.”
Her co-leader Davies started the day with a bogey and then reeled off three consecutive birdies as she took advantage of the calmer morning conditions.
“Some say the best rounds start with a bogey,” she said.
“We definitely had the better weather conditions and it was nice and calm in the morning. I was thinking about posting a good score while everybody else has to battle the afternoon wind. I’ve been playing much better than I’ve been scoring. I missed the cut in Joburg which was disappointing, but I had a call with my coach and we said I just need to stay patient this week and see what happens.”
Davies took her own inspiration from an Erinvale course she says ranks amongst the best on the Ladies European Tour.
“The golf course is stunning. It’s probably amongst the best conditioned we play on Tour. South Africa as a whole is incredible. We love coming here.”
