Cara Gorlei shrugged off any suggestions of pressure on a wet and windy opening day of the Standard Bank South Africa Women’s Masters to surge into the first-round lead at San Lameer Country Club.
With rain beating down intermittently on the coastal layout on Wednesday, the 24-year-old Milnerton rookie made the perfect start to her fourth event, reeling in a trio of birdies to set the tone for a flawless round and putting down the early marker with a three-under-par 69.
Her target was matched by Scotland’s Jane Turner, who got it to four under through 12 holes, but a bogey at the par-five 13th and a double-bogey finish for a round of 71 left Gorlei with a two-stroke advantage and some welcome breathing room.
A former star of South African amateur golf, Gorlei spent four years on a golf scholarship at the University of Arkansas, where she represented the Arkansas Razorbacks women’s golf team. It was during this stretch that she also won the prestigious South African Women’s Amateur Championship.
After graduating with a major in kinesiology last June, the South African closed the book on a glittering amateur career and signed up for golf’s most gruelling test. She was the only South African to make the first cut at the First Stage of the LPGA Qualifying School, but a round of 79 in the final round put paid to her campaign.
‘I competed in some of the Sunshine Ladies Tour events as an amateur, so I knew this would be good way to start my career before I head back to the States to compete on the Women’s All Pro Tour,’ said Gorlei.
With many twists and turns still to come in this enthralling Sunshine Ladies Tour season, Gorlei was pleased to have laid down an early marker in her fourth start.
‘Coming into the season, my expectations were unrealistically high, especially starting the Cape Town Ladies Open in my backyard. Nerves got the better of me, but as we have eased into the season, I’ve started to find my game a bit more. I’m starting to feel more comfortable and enjoying it a lot more.
‘There is still of lot of golf to play, but a good finish this week could prove significant towards the end of the season. I’m pleased to be in an attacking position at last.’
Buoyed by a top-12 finish in the Dimension Data Ladies Pro-Am on Sunday, Gorlei birdied the par-four 5th and on both par threes – the 14th and 16th – while keeping her round ticking over with pars.
‘With all the rain, I knew the course would be playing long. A lot of the holes were gettable, though, and I hit a lot of 4-irons and 3-woods to keep it in play. The strategy was just to hit fairways and greens and to pick up some birdies along the way.
‘I was just playing good golf and making good putts. I hit a lot of fairways and I didn’t miss many greens, maybe one or two, but marginally and I managed make a lot of pars.
First-Round Scores
(All competitors RSA unless otherwise stated and amateurs are indicated AMA)
69 – Cara Gorlei
71 – Jane Turner (SCO)
72 – Kim Williams
73 – Monique Smit, Jessica Dreesbeimdieke (NAM)
74 – Emie Peronnin (FRA), Bianca Lohbauer AMA, Zethu Myeki
75 – Maria Beautell (ESP), Lauren Taylor (ENG), Julie Berton (FRA)
76 – Woo-Ju Son (KOR), Sharmila Nicollet (IND), Kelsey Nicholas
77 – Rosie Davies (ENG), Michaela Fletcher, Tara Griebenow, Clara Pietri (SUI), Hannah Arnold (USA)
78 – Yolanda Duma, Bonita Bredenhann (NAM), Jordy LaBarbera (USA), Shawnelle de Lange
79 – Kyle Roig (PUR), Christina Gloor (SUI), Leticia Ras-Anderica (GER)
80 – Rachel Drummond (ENG), Francesca Cuturi, Pasqualle Coffa (NED)
81 – Brittney-Fay Berger
83 – Lindi Coetzee, Melissa Eaton
85 – Sunelle von Molendorff
86 – Siviwe Duma
89 – Chiara Contomathios.
