Paula Reto may have looked a bit like a fish out of water when she bogeyed the 2nd and 3rd on the second day of the SuperSport Ladies Challenge presented by Sun International on Thursday, but the rest of her round at the Lost City Golf Club then went swimmingly as she claimed a share of the lead.
The United States-based South African went on a run of five birdies in six holes from the 5th hole, and then added back-to-back birdies on the 13th and 14th holes, before returning from a lightning delay with another gain on the 17th.
Her superb six-under-par 66 lifted her to eight under overall and she will go into the final round tied for the lead with India’s Tvesa Malik, who fired a stunning 65.
The 33-year-old Reto won this tournament in 2022, but it was then played at the Gary Player Country Club.
But after a tough 2023 campaign on the LPGA Tour, Reto is in a good frame of mind back in her home country, and it showed in her ability to bounce back from two early setbacks on Thursday.
“I don’t know what happened really, I hit a bad tee-shot on the 2nd and suddenly I’d gone bogey-bogey,” she said. “I just said to myself that I must give myself opportunities and fortunately I then managed to get the ball close to the hole a few times, and chipped in on the 8th, which is always nice for your momentum.
“Lost City is completely different to the GPCC, you have to strategise more off the tees, it’s a course that requires more thinking. To be able to bounce back after those two bogeys felt really good and I was very happy that I kept to the plan. I was able to stay on plan and not let the bogeys get to me.
“Last year was tough because I struggled with my swing a bit and I couldn’t string four good rounds together. It starts to take a toll on your confidence and you start to try and change so much all at once.
“So at the start of this year I just tried to hone in on a few things, make sure I do those basics well. I’m happy with where my game is heading and I just love coming back here to South Africa, being with my family and feeling a bit like I’m on vacation.”
Getting married on 29 December to fellow Indian professional golfer Ajeetesh Sandhu certainly seems to have bear fruit for Malik as she produced an outstanding, bogey-free round with four birdies on the back nine and then three on the front.
First-round leader Lauren Taylor shot a 70 on Thursday to move to six under par, two off the lead, while exciting South African youngster Gabrielle Venter shot 68 on Thursday to move to five under.
Photo: Heinrich Helmbold/Sunshine Tour
