With crosswinds whizzing over the Montague fairways on the back nine, Kylie Henry was best able to keep her round on track as she sealed a two-stroke victory in the Dimension Data Ladies Pro-Am at Fancourt on Sunday.
Henry was two strokes off the lead at the start of the final round, but the other leading contenders spluttered along on the third day.
Even though the Scotswoman went out in one-over-par 37, a string of six successive pars on the back nine saw her claim a share of the lead with Ana Dawson, who had led after both the first and second rounds.
And then, as the pressure mounted and Dawson missed some crucial putts, Henry pounced with key birdies on the par-four 16th and 18th holes.
It was her first professional win since 2014, when she won twice on the Ladies European Tour, and the 37-year-old said she was delighted to get back on the winner’s podium after a couple of tough years.
“It means so much to me, I have been playing for a long time, this is my 15th season on Tour. But the past couple of seasons have been really tough. I broke my elbow and then last year was just very difficult for me personally and my golf suffered as a result.
“To get my golf game back makes me so happy. It was tricky out there today, there were a lot of crosswinds on the back nine, and I knew I just had to commit to my shots. I managed to keep doing that and I sank some good putts as well.”
Henry was tied for second with Alexandra Swayne going into the final round, and Swayne had a level-par front nine on Sunday, but her back nine was a car-crash with a run of double-bogey, bogey, bogey from the 11th hole. She finished tied for ninth on six-over-par after an 80.
Dawson, despite dropping shots on the 11th and 12th holes, was just one shot behind Henry when she teed off on the final hole. But she drove into the trees, and then ricocheted off another tree trying to come out with her second. Eventually she had to settle for a bogey-six, which left her in a tie for third on level par with Romy Meekers, who fired an outstanding 67, the best round of the day by four shots.
There were birdie chances available for Dawson in the middle of the back nine, but she had struggles with her putter.
Local stalwart Lee-Anne Pace stepped up on the final day by shooting a level-par 72 and getting herself into contention. She once again eagled the par-five 9th and also birdied the 18th, but Henry did not give her an opening and Pace had to settle for second place on her own, on one under par.
Photo: Troy Winfield/Sunshine Tour
