There were some familiar faces at the top end of the Sunshine Ladies Tour leaderboard as the first round of the Cape Town Ladies Open drew to a close at Royal Cape Golf Club on Wednesday.
Former Sunshine Ladies Tour winner Kiran Matharu fired a round of six-under-par 68 to surge to the top of the leaderboard.
The English golfer, who finished tie-sixth at the same venue a year ago, opened up a two-shot lead over last year’s runner up, Anne-Lise Caudal from France, and Tiia Kovisto from Finland and GolfRSA Elite Squad amateur Kajal Mistry.
Former SA Women’s champion, Tandi McCallum, fifth last year, was a further shot back.
Defending champion Lee-Anne Pace got her campaign off to a solid start with a round of two-under 70 to share sixth with Lora Assad and Carrie Park from South Korea.
Matharu offset seven birdies, including five on the back nine, with a solitary bogey to stamp her authority on the event. ‘I didn’t really see that round coming, to be honest,’ the Leeds golfer explained.
‘I’ve been struggling over the last couple of weeks, but it all came together today. If you’re accurate off the tee, Royal Cape offers a lot of birdie chances and I managed to do that today, so I’m very happy with the start.’
Caudal – still hunting a maiden Sunshine Ladies Tour victory – lost to Pace in a playoff last year, and she was delighted to find form on a course where she feels very comfortable.
‘I played really well today,’ she said. ‘I hit two bad drives, which cost me two bogeys, and I missed two short birdie putts, but I’m very happy with four-under. I just love this course.’
With the Royal Cape course set up to a par of 74 that includes no fewer than six par-fives, there are lots of scoring opportunities for the players.
Finland’s Kovisto took full advantage on the back nine with a pair of eagles and a birdie en route to her 70 in her debut on the local circuit.
Mistry also continued her fine form in the Sunshine Ladies Tour series. The diminutive 18-year-old, who is headed to the University of Arkansas in the US later this year, has had finishes of tie-20th, tie-4th, 2nd and tie-8th this season. Returning to the same venue where she won the Nomads SA Rose Bowl Championship last year sparked another positive performance, and her round of 70 included three birdies, an eagle and a bogey.
Pace is still very much in the hunt for a 12th Sunshine Ladies Tour title after carding 72.
First Round Scores
All competitors RSA unless otherwise stated and amateurs are indicated AMA.
68 – Kiran Matharu (ENG)
70 – Anne-Lise Caudal (FRA), Kajal Mistry AMA, Tiia Kovisto (FIN)
71 – Tandi Mc Callum
72 – Lee-Anne Pace, Carrie Park (KOR), Lora Assad
73 – Sofia Ljungqvist (SWE), Caroline Rominger (SUI)
74 – Julie Berton (FRA), Jane Turner (SCO), Kelsey Nicholas, Sofie Bringner (SWE), Tara Griebenow AMA, Hannah McCook (SCO), Dominique Jacobs
75 – Monique Smit, Rachel Raastad (NOR), Maria Beautell (ESP), Emma Westin (SWE), Rachel Rossel (SUI)
76 – Stina Resen (NOR), Pasqualle Coffa (NED), Nobuhle Dlamini (SWZ), Kim Williams, Mimmi Bergman (SWE), Jessica Dreesbeimdieke (NAM), Millie Saroha (IND), Lindi Coetzee
77 – Kelly Erasmus AMA, Vicki Traut AMA, Lara Weinstein, Bertine Faber, Bonita Bredenhann (NAM), Gabrielle Macdonald (SCO), Rachael Goodall (ENG), Casandra Hall, Eleanor Givens (ENG)
78 – Isabella Deilert (SWE)
79 – Emilie Piquot (FRA), Anna Magnusson (SWE)
80 – Laure Sibille (FRA), Annelie Sjoholm (SWE), Laurette Maritz, Laura Murray (SCO)
81 – Katia Shaff AMA (AUT), Yolanda Duma, Moa Folke (SWE), Marion Duvernay (FRA)
82 – Clara Pietri (SUI), Kim de Klerk AMA, Shawnelle de Lange
83 – Chiara Contomathios, Lenanda van der Watt, Niina Liias (FIN)
84 – Rachel Drummond (ENG), Nastja Banovec (SVN), Bianca Wernich AMA, Anna Svenstrup (SWE)
85 – Siviwe Duma, Shanice de Gee AMA, Louisa Tarn AMA (ENG)
87 – Nina Grey AMA, Lynette Fourie
88 – Isabella van Rooyen AMA
89 – Charlotte Austwick (ENG)
