The third round of the SA Women’s Open saw tougher conditions on Saturday, as three-under-par was the lowest score made around a very windy Royal Cape Golf Club.
Dublin’s Anna Foster pieced together a solid round considering the conditions, as the 24-year-old posted a two-over-par 75 to sit T24 on 3-under heading into the final round.
In a round that saw six bogeys and two birdies, Foster’s best work came at the par-5 11th as she made an outstanding eagle after a 318 yard drive.
Clare’s Aine Donegan and Down’s Olivia Mehaffey both sit at T41 on one-under-par heading into the last day.
Donegan made three birdies but ultimately succumbed to the conditions as the round played out as the 24-year-old posted a three-over-par 76.
Mehaffey had similar fate. Taking the turn at one-over after salvaging a few birdies at the fifth and sixth, the 27-year-old made two sore bogeys on the way back to the clubhouse at 15 and 17 to post a two-over-par 75.
At the top of the leaderboard, England’s Esme Hamilton joins 36-hole-leader, Slovakia’s Pia Babnik at 13-under-par.
Hamilton posted a three-under-par 70 to match the lowest round of the day, capitalising on Babnik’s one-over-par 74.
“Being from England, I am quite used to some interesting conditions,” Hamilton said, runner-up at last year’s Tipsport Czech Ladies Open.
“It didn’t really phase me at all. I was just going to go out there and play my own game. I used my caddies knowledge of the wind as he’s from Scotland so he’s very used to it too. I went for it today,” added the 26-year-old.
Setting up for a tense final day, Hamilton is condifent in her chances to secure her first win on the Ladies European Tour.
“My plan today was to just keep my ball safe. I tried to take advantage on the holes where the wind was help… which was not that easy. For most of the time I managed to do that. I’m definitely going to go for it tomorrow and what will be will be,” said Hamilton.
With two birdies and three bogeys on moving day, Babnik said: “It was absolutely brutal out there today. Both of the other girls played really well. I tried to keep up with them and enjoy what I can enjoy.”
Hamilton and Babnik are closely followed by Cara Gainer who posted a one-under-par round to get to 12-under.
“I’m pleased with the back-nine,” the 30-year-old said, who made birdie at the 11th, 12th and 15th, “Making birdie at the par-3 15th was important. The course is pretty narrow at the best of times, you need to hit fairways, so factoring in wind makes it even narrower,” she added.
The final round of the Investec SA Women’s Open gets underway tomorrow at 6:30am Irish time, with more gusty weather expected to arrive at Royal Cape Golf Club.
Leave a comment