Defending champion Casandra Alexander made her intentions clear during the first round of the Absa Ladies Invitational at Royal Johannesburg on Thursday as she shared the lead with Spain’s Carmen Alonso following a five-under-par 67.
Alexander continued with her impressive form on the Sunshine Ladies Tour this season which has seen her add to her trophy cabinet by winning the Jabra Ladies Classic in February and claim the top spot on the Investec Order of Merit.
“I really enjoyed my round today,” she said. “It felt great having so many familiar faces around me and playing at a course that I enjoy. The course is playing longer due to all the rain that we’ve had but I had a good day.”
This week’s prize money received a welcome boost of R300,000 – now totalling R1.5-million – making it the second week in a row that prize money has been increased on the Sunshine Ladies Tour.
“I believe the sponsors are seeing value in women’s golf as the last two tournaments had an increase in prize money,” said Alexander. “It’s also so exciting if the partnerships between the sponsors and the Sunshine Ladies Tour are extended as this shows us that they believe in what we are doing. We want the sponsors to come back year-after-year as I know we can give them the value they need.”
Alexander is also hopeful that the Sunshine Ladies Tour will grow its schedule to 10 events from the current eight, as she believes this will provide local and international golfers with the opportunity to play more golf consistently throughout the year, thereby becoming more competitive and further raising the status of the game.
“I hope that the Sunshine Ladies Tour will follow in the footsteps of the Sunshine Tour, and that South Africa will become a place where international players will base themselves as we have excellent courses and our weather is great for year-round golf,” she said.
With South African golfers having won four of the five tournaments played on this year’s series, Alexander confirmed that she has set her sights on winning this year’s Investec Order of Merit.
“I don’t think about it every day, and it is definitely not in the back of my mind when I play, but I would love to win the Investec Order of Merit. I’ve come close before and as a South African, it would mean a lot to me to add my name to the list of winners.”
Photo: Sunshine Ladies Tour
