Breezy conditions made for difficult scoring at San Lameer Country Club, but Germany’s Laura Fuenfstueck put together a well-constructed 69 to top the second round leaderboard in the SA Women’s Masters on Friday.
The 23-year-old Fuenfstueck opened up a two-shot cushion on five-under 139 over Scottish amateur Gemma Batty, and she finished three strokes clear of South African duo Lejan Lewthwaite and Melissa Eaton.
The Sunshine Ladies Tour rookie was not alone when struggling in the wind.
Only 12 players in the field of 78 managed to break par and just seven finished in red numbers, but Fuenfstueck knows she is in a strong position heading into the last day.
‘The day started nicely again, but the wind came up and it makes a big difference to this course,’ she said. ‘I hit all the fairways and I positioned myself really well into the greens. But you’re hitting it uphill and downhill on uneven lies and the course is so tight.
‘You have to keep it in play to score and it’s tough to do in the wind. I did make some great decisions with my club selection and I putted really well. The wind makes it really difficult, though, to get near the pins. I had a poor finish, but the closing holes are really tough. Even pars feel like a birdies.’
Fuenfstueck travelled to South Africa to gain competitive experience on the Sunshine Ladies Tour before she starts her season on the Ladies European Tour (LET) and LET Access Series.
‘I started at the Canon Ladies Tshwane Open and tied for 23rd, and last week I finished 10th in the Dimension Data Ladies Pro-Am. Now I’m in the lead and we’ll see where I finish. I’m just really happy with how much my game has improved and how much I’ve learned.’
Batty carded a two-under 70 and was over the moon to find herself in second place after 36 holes.
‘I never expected to be at the front of the field; it’s all new experiences for me,’ said the 23-year-old Scottish Golf Women’s National Squad player.
‘I’m just going to play shot-for-shot and enjoy the experience, because it’s a fantastic opportunity. I don’t drive it tremendously far, but I’m pretty straight, so I’m really enjoying this course.’
Batty could become the first amateur to win on the Sunshine Ladies Tour since Ashleigh Buhai (nee Simon) won the South African Women’s Open at Durban Country Club in 2007, but not if Lewthwaite has anything to say about the outcome.
The Benoni golfer won the Amateur title in 2016 with a second-place finish and clocked a top-10 finish last year. ‘I would like to win, yes,’ said Lewthwaite. ‘The first four weeks was a struggle but I’ve turned a corner and I had a great time out there the last two days. If I can birdie the par fives and keep the bogeys off my card in the final round, I can do it.’
Eaton was happy to fly below the radar as she quietly worked her way up the leaderboard with five birdies and two bogeys, but don’t be surprised if the crowd favourite walks in the winning putt at 18 for a second Sunshine Ladies Tour title.
‘It was nice to come home and spent time with the family and friends and not to have all the media attention as I had in the past,’ she said. ‘I played really solid today and if I can keep it going, and the wind shows up again, I could be right up there coming down the 18th on Saturday afternoon.’
Second round leaderboard:
All players RSA unless otherwise stated and Amateurs are indicated at AMA
139 – Laura Fuenfstueck (GER) 70 69
141 – Gemma Batty AMA (SCO) 71 70
142 – Melissa Eaton 73 69, Lejan Lewthwaite 73 69
143 – Lora Assad 70 73, Kim Williams 68 75, Shannon McWilliam AMA (SCO) 71 72
144 – Stina Resen (NOR) 74 70, Nobuhle Dlamini (SWZ) 71 73
145 – Ivanna Samu 71 74, Azelia Meichtry AMA (SUI) 72 73
146 – Lynn Carlsson (SWE) 72 74, Rachael Goodall (ENG) 74 72
147 – Nicole Garcia 75 72, Kiran Matharu (ENG) 73 74, Woo-Ju Son AMA 72 75, Jamila Jaxaliyeva (KAZ) 70 77
148 – Zane Naude AMA 73 75, Maria Beautell (ESP) 77 71
149 – Lara Weinstein 75 74, Emie Peronnin (FRA) 79 70, Francesca Cuturi 78 71, Mariell Bruun (NOR) 70 79, Camilla Hedberg (ESP) 78 71
151 – Hayley Davis (ENG) 78 73, Lauren Taylor (ENG) 76 75, Clara Pietri (SUI) 77 74
152 – Bonita Bredenhann (NAM) 83 69, Tandi Mc Callum 74 78, Danielle du Toit AMA 81 71
153 – Jane Turner (SCO) 82 71, Jessica Karlsson (SWE) 78 75, Zethu Myeki AMA 72 81
154 – Mimmi Bergman (SWE) 76 78, Alexandra Lennartsson (SWE) 81 73, Hannah Arnold (USA) 73 81, Annelie Weimenhog (SWE) 76 78
Missed the cut:
155 – Emma Westin (SWE) 75 80, Alana van Greuning 80 75
156 – Ellinor Haag (SWE) 76 80, Hannah McCook AMA (SCO) 75 81, Nastja Banovec (SVN) 79 77, Siviwe Duma 79 77
157 – Bertine Strauss 82 75, Sofie Bringner (SWE) 78 79
158 – Lindi Coetzee AMA 85 73, Lisa Anderson (SWE) 79 79, Shawnelle de Lange 78 80, Josefin Odenring (SWE) 81 77
159 – Muriel McIntyre (CAN) 81 78, Brittney-Fay Berger AMA 81 78
160 – Yolanda Duma 78 82, Michelle Swanepoel 87 73, Chloe Goadby AMA (SCO) 73 87, Casandra Hall AMA 82 78
161 – Rachel Rossel (SUI) 76 85
162 – Katia Shaff AMA (AUT) 85 77, Caryn Louw 84 78, Hanna Roos (SWE) 84 78
163 – Chloe Royston AMA 86 77, Ethel Ruthenberg AMA 81 82, Ladina Semadeni AMA (SUI) 81 82
165 – Jessica Shurety AMA 82 83
166 – Leslie Grandet (MAD) 79 87
167 – Lynette Fourie AMA 87 80, Chiara Contomathios 85 82
168 – Lorena Hermann AMA (SUI) 82 86, Larissa Du Preez AMA 88 80
169 – Michelle de Vries 86 83
171 – Mae Cornforth 90 81
174 – Flora Peuch (FRA) 86 88
176 – Tara Griebenow AMA 87 89
178 – Kim de Klerk AMA 88 90
180 – Senayah Moodliar AMA 93 87
183 – Laura Welch (CAN) 91 92
WDN – Stacy Bregman 74 WDN
RTD – Johanna Bjork (SWE) RTD WDN, Teagan Lubbe AMA 90 RTD
Photo: Carl Fourie/Sunshine Tour/Gallo Images
