All good things come to those who wait, but nobody told Ashleigh Buhai it would be quite so hard to land the Chase to the Investec Cup for Ladies title on Sunday.
It finally happened for Buhai when she put the perfect pace on a 12-foot clutch putt for birdie at the final hole at Millvale Private Retreat. When the ball hit the bottom of the cup, the 27-year-old Edenvale golfer sunk to her knees and pumped both her fists.
For a moment, joy and relief jostled for position on her face before she broke into a smile as big as the moon.
‘I can’t believe I’ve done it,’ said Buhai (pictured right) after she signed for a 71 to edge out main rival Nicole Garcia for the 2017 series title with a second place finish at four-under-par 212 in Sunshine Ladies Tour season finale.
The battle for the Chase to the Investec Cup for Ladies came down to Buhai, Garcia from Benoni and Kiran Matharu.
The Englishwoman led the rankings coming into the final event, but slipped out of the running with rounds of 76, 71 and 75, leaving the two Ekurhuleni golfers to battle it out.
Garcia had a one-shot edge over Buhai at four under at the start of the round. Ranked fourth coming into the final, she had to keep that lead to win the series, as Buhai was ahead of her in second place in the points standings.
Both golfers had two bogeys and two gains over the first eight holes, but Buhai took the lead when Garcia dropped two shots at nine and bogeyed 10. After both players birdied 11, it was Buhai’s turn to surrender two shots at 12.
Tied at two under, they both played the next two holes in pars. Gains for both at 15 kept the title chase poised on a knife’s edge and, after more pars and near-misses at 16 and 17, it all came down the par-four closing hole.
Garcia hit a monster drive down 18 and hit the front edge of the green with her approach. Her first putt came close, but par meant a round of 71 and third overall on three under 213.
Meanwhile South Africa’s top golf export Lee-Anne Pace made a little Sunshine Ladies Tour history of her own.
After winning the season-long series title for three successive years, the Investec Property player was not in the race this season, but that didn’t stop her. Her two shot overnight shot lead never came under threat and she notched a trio of birdies on the back nine to close with a one under 71.
Pace (pictured left) celebrated her 10th visit to the winner’s circle on the Sunshine Ladies Tour with a two-shot victory on six under 210 and finished third overall in the Chase to the Investec Cup for Ladies.
The winner-takes-all cheque worth R100 000 also rocketed her to the number one spot in the Final Order of Merit with earnings of R229 195 in six starts.
Words courtesy: Lali Stander
Image of Buhai and Pace courtesy Sunshine Ladies Tour
