The Sunshine Ladies Tour players are excited to test themselves at the highly rated Soweto Country Club for this week’s Joburg Ladies Open, writes ANDRE HUISAMEN.
Ahead of Wednesday’s first round, numerous players were full of praise for the course as they take aim at the R500,000 event.
Three-time winner of the Joburg Ladies Open, Nicole Garcia, is especially eager to hit the ground running after missing last year’s edition due to injury.
‘I didn’t play last year because I was still on the bench after my hip surgery. The girls told me that the greens were incredibly firm, and the fairways were still patchy but I saw none of that today,’ said Garcia after her practice round on Tuesday.
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‘I was so pleasantly surprised. The course is a great test like every other Gary Player design and the greens are beautiful. The greens staff must have worked incredibly hard in the last 12 months. You can go for a lot of the pins this year, and we will see a lot more birdies. Everyone that played last year can’t stop gushing. The staff can be so proud of what they have achieved in just a short year.’
Another three-time champion, Nicole Smit, reiterates this thought.
‘It was amazing to see the difference. I told my caddie – the same one I had this year – walking to the first tee that we will have to plan for the firm greens, but they have settled so incredibly well. The greens are receptive and the fairways have grown in nicely. It was super fun playing the pro-am, and watching our partners making birdies.
‘This is probably one of the tightest courses we play all season, and you are going to have to keep it in play and stay out of the trees if you want to go low. Keep finding the greens. Keep it simple,’ said the Oubaai golfer.
Rookie Casandra Hall, who came very close to victory last year in her battle with Nobuhle Dlamini, feels the course plays to her strengths and she is determined to capitalise on that opportunity this year.
‘A lot of people didn’t like the course last year, but I loved it from the word go and it’s even better this year. I love the layout; it suits my game. I really enjoyed playing last year as an amateur. The pressure is slightly different this time, but competing on the Vodacom Origins series last year helped me settle into the pro environment.’
