Ashleigh Buhai might have gained a serious championship, however she needs to win any event she enters and that’s a shot throughout the bows of all of the gamers in the Investec South African Women’s Open which tees off at Steenberg Golf Club.
The championship begins on Wednesday, 8 March.
The winner of the title in 2004, 2007 and 2018 gained the AIG Women’s Open final yr and has risen to 18th on the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings returned to South Africa to play in her nationwide open championship for the primary time in three years.
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Co-sanctioned by the Ladies European Tour and the Sunshine Ladies Tour, this thirtieth anniversary of the Investec South African Women’s Open coincides with the tenth anniversary of the native circuit in its present guise, and Buhai is aware of it gained’t be a straightforward victory lap.
“I know there’s going to be pressure on me this week,” she stated. “I think everybody expects me to tee it up and win, but that’s not golf. We can’t guarantee anything. Hopefully I can just go out there and keep doing what I’ve been doing; stick to my process, my steps, and the outcome will come.”
Amongst her chief challengers is a girl who has dominated the Investec South African Women’s Open to a fair higher extent than she has.
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Defending champion Lee-Anne Pace has gained the title 5 occasions, and the event is one which she fairly intentionally makes an attempt to peak for. In addition, Pace loves the windy circumstances that are virtually at all times encountered at Cape Town programs.
Buhai chasing quantity 4
She might be a formidable hurdle for Buhai to overcome if she is to win a fourth title.
Additionally, there have been youthful gamers, for whom Buhai has grow to be a task mannequin, if not a mentor, who’ve emerged over current occasions, and are hungry for fulfillment at a better stage.
The likes of Casandra Alexander who’s a two-time winner on the Sunshine Ladies Tour this yr, and rookies like Kaleigh Telfer and Kiera Floyd, might be eager to finish their Investec Order of Merit campaigns on a excessive. And there’s nothing greater for them than this title.
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Buhai’s contribution to the expansion which has produced this example can’t be overstated.
“I don’t know how much part I played, but hopefully a little bit,” stated Buhai. “Obviously it’s fantastic to see how it’s grown, how the sponsors are starting to support women’s golf in South Africa. And you can see it in the trend in women’s golf around the world. All prize purses are starting to increase.”
The Sunshine Ladies Tour performed for R1.075-million in its first yr in 2014, and the purses this yr complete R16-million. “With six tournaments on the tour now, the next step would be if we could get it to double figures at least,” stated Buhai. “And also, not just to have February through March, because to be able to play all year around is what these girls need. So, if you have two tournaments a month at least, you know, they will have game time. The purses might not be what they are during this stretch, but being able to play, getting that game time is hugely important.”
Of course, as the foremost winner she is, Buhai’s instance is one admired by extra than simply her compatriots. From the ranks of the gamers from 28 different nations represented in the sector, there may be sure to be a handful who might problem for – and even win – the title.
Lily lurking at Steenberg
Chief amongst these is the chief of the Investec Order of Merit on the Sunshine Ladies Tour, Lily May Humphreys of England, who gained the Joburg Open final week, a event additionally co-sanctioned by the Ladies European Tour.
But Buhai brings the perfect early-year type of her current previous along with her, so toppling her gained’t be straightforward. She completed seventh final week in the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore, following a high 10 in the Honda LPGA Thailand in February and a tie for ninth in the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions in January.
“I’ve always tried to play the Investec SA Women’s Open when I could,” stated Buhai, “but the change in the date over the least three years has made it difficult. This year, with it falling in an off week, I’ve made the effort to come back, and I am excited to get the show on the road.”
So are we, Ash, so are we. – Lali Stander
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