In the final tournament of the Courier Guy Playoffs to mark the end of the Sunshine Tour’s 2025/26 season, Vorster opened the door to the start of something new with his first victory.

The young star closed with a 66 to win on 21 under par, with Altin van der Merwe and Jaco Prinsloo sharing second place on 19 under.

“It’s incredible. We were so emotional at the end because it’s been a lot of hard work and close calls. My family have supported me all the way, and it was so special to win in front of them. All the people I wanted to have here for my first win were here. If it wasn’t for what my parents, and especially my dad, have done for my career I wouldn’t be standing here. It’s pretty emotional to have had my dad on the bag for this. It was so special to do it with him. I wouldn’t have wanted it to be with anybody else,” said Vorster.

“One of my favourite things to do when I go home to Mossel Bay is play golf with my dad the whole day and then have a braai afterwards. We are really close.”

The final tournament capped a remarkable Sunshine Tour season of outstanding individual performances and the rise of a new generation of young stars.

Casey Jarvis finished a groundbreaking season as the winner of the Courier Guy Order of Merit, and was awarded the prestigious Syd Brews Trophy.

Jarvis also earned a place in the Nedbank Golf Challenge in honour of Gary Player and two Majors, namely The PGA Championship and The Open via the Federation Ranking list on the Official World Golf Ranking, in addition to him already having qualified for The Masters this year through his victory in the Investec South African Open. Jarvis also received a R500 000 cash bonus, an MSC international cruise, and the use of a Hyundai vehicle for a year.

“It was an unbelievable three weeks of winning the Magical Kenya Open and Investec South African Open and then finishing second in the Joburg Open. I think I can walk away with a lot of confidence. I’ve learnt to really manage my game well and play under big pressure. I can take a lot of positives from it all,” said Jarvis.

Mexico’s Luis Carrera was a dominant new force on the Sunshine Tour this season and was crowned the Fortress Rookie of the Year for a performance that included him making history by becoming the first player to win the Tour’s Theo Manyama Qualifying School and then the first two tournaments of the new season – the FBC Zim Open and the Kit Kat Cash & Carry Pro-Am.

He adds his name to the Bobby Locke Trophy, and earns a R400 000 bonus courtesy of Fortress Real Estate, whose Rookie of the Year award continues to play a pivotal role in celebrating and supporting the next generation of Sunshine Tour talent.

“It’s been amazing. It’s been my first full season on tour and South Africa is an amazing country. The Sunshine Tour is a fantastic tour and I’ve had a great time,” Carrera said.

Steven Brown, CEO of Fortress, said: “Powering the growth of the game in South Africa means investing in its future, which is why supporting the next generation of players is a key priority for us. The Fortress Rookie of the Year award is central to this commitment, helping accelerate their development and success. As such, we doubled the prize money to show our continued support for emerging talent. Luis Carrera’s historic debut season is a powerful example of the impact this platform can have, and we’re proud to support players as they take the next step in their careers.”

Both Jarvis and Carrera also receive automatic entry into the Waterfall City Tournament of Champions supported by Attacq and WCMC in June this year, where they will compete for a first prize of R1 million.

Hennie du Plessis, who finished second on the Courier Guy Order of Merit, earns an extra R200 000 as well as an MSC local cruise and the use of a Hyundai vehicle for a year, and third-placed Herman Loubser takes home R100 000 plus an MSC local cruise and the use of a Hyundai vehicle for a year.

Loubser also earned a DP World Tour card for next season as the leading player in the top 10 of the final Courier Guy Order of Merit who doesn’t already have status on the DP World Tour.

MJ Viljoen and Pieter Moolman both received cards on the HotelPlanner Tour for next season as the next two leading players on the Courier Guy Order of Merit not already exempt for this, in fifth and sixth place respectively.

Jaco Prinsloo finished the season as the winner of the Gary Player Trophy for the lowest stroke average this season of 69.54, and awarded to the professional who has played a minimum of 19 of the 29 tournaments.

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Van Der Westhuizen closed with a 66 to win on 17 under par, with fellow South African Jordan Rothman in second place on 10 under following her final round of 69.

“I am extremely happy about this title. I was leading from the first day, so I am very happy with the result,” Van Der Westhuizen said.

Van Der Westhuizen had the perfect start to Saturday’s final round, opening with an eagle and two birdies over the first four holes.

“It was a bit of a stressful morning, but I started with the eagle and just kept on pushing from there. As soon as I made that eagle I relaxed a little bit, but kept pushing and turned in four-under after the first nine holes. There were a lot of positives as I committed to playing aggressive golf,” she said.

It has not been the easiest tournament with a lot of time lost on the opening day due to bad weather, resulting in Van Der Westhuizen having to play 32 holes on Friday. She is now looking forward to a well-deserved rest.

“I am really excited to have a bit of a break now and spend some time with family and friends as it has been a tough three days. I am however excited about the rest of the season coming up.”

The Sunshine Ladies Tour now heads into the co-sanctioned tournaments with the Ladies European Tour, beginning at Randpark Golf Club for the Joburg Ladies Open that will take place from 16-19 April.

SCORES

199 – Nadia van der Westhuizen 65 68 66
206 – Jordan Rothman 66 71 69
207 – Louisa Carlbom (SWE) 68 70 69
208 – Sanna Nuutinen (FIN) 66 73 69
208 – Caitlyn Macnab 72 66 70
209 – Verena Gimmy (GER) 66 73 70
209 – Chloe Salort (FRA) 69 69 71, Romy Meekers (NED) 66 72 71
210 – Cara Gorlei 71 72 67
211 – Elina Saksa (FIN) 67 74 70
211 – Nobuhle Dlamini (SWZ) 71 70 70, Tereza Melecka (CZE) 69 68 74, Tina Mazarino (NOR) 69 68 74
212 – Jess Baker (BRI) 71 72 69
212 – Andrea Bergsdottir (ISL) 74 69 69, Kaiyuree Moodley 74 69 69, Ellie Gower (ENG) 69 73 70, Zane Kleynhans 70 71 71
213 – Anna Backman (FIN) 69 73 71
213 – Emie Peronnin (FRA) 71 71 71
214 – Mayka Hoogeboom (NED) 74 69 71
214 – Lorna McClymont (SCO) 74 69 71, Gabrielle Venter 70 74 70, Louise Duncan (SCO) 69 72 73, Doris Chen (TPE) 66 73 75
215 – Stacy Bregman 70 73 72
215 – Annabel Wilson (NIR) 70 73 72, Ffion Tynan (WAL) 70 74 71, Kiera Floyd 71 71 73, Louise Rydqvist (SWE) 69 75 71, Danielle du Toit 70 70 75
216 – Charlotte Liautier (FRA) 73 71 72
216 – Marianne Skarpnord (NOR) 71 73 72
217 – Carolin Kauffmann (GER) 74 71 72
217 – Lucie Malchirand (FRA) 73 72 72
218 – Ashley Chow (CAN) 71 71 76
218 – Cara Ford 70 74 74, Thalia Martin (ENG) 74 71 73, Bobbi Brown 74 71 73
219 – Sophie Witt (GER) 69 74 76
219 – Michelle Forsland (NOR) 72 72 75, Rosie Belsham (ENG) 72 72 75
220 – Ivanna van der Merwe 72 72 76
220 – Theresa de Bochdanovits (GER) 75 70 75
224 – Claire Minter (ZIM) 73 72 79

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Prinsloo signed for a third round of 66 including a strong finish of two birdies to lead the field on 18 under par in this final tournament on the Courier Guy Playoffs series.

Altin van der Merwe produced a bogey-free 65 to finish the day as his nearest challenger on 16 under par. Martin Vorster, who led for two days, is currently third on 15 under par following a 71.

“I’m surprised. I had a rough start and thought about withdrawing, but luckily I managed to play. I’m very pleased to be here and finally feeling okay now,” Prinsloo said.

“I played solid for the most part and had one bad swing on the par-three 12th and took a double bogey there. But I’m feeling pretty relaxed and didn’t let it phase me too much. I kept going and finished with four birdies.”

It’s been a solid season for Prinsloo, who arrived at this final tournament with six top-10s on the Sunshine Tour. That includes tied fifth in the Serengeti Playoffs before this week.

“I was in Europe and lost my card on the Sunshine Tour, so for me to be here and in the top 20 on the Courier Guy Order of Merit – I’ve felt like I’ve done well. A win would be the cherry on top. But even so, I felt like I’ve done well and I’m just happy to be here. In the final round my focus will be just to make birdies and enjoy myself.”

Daniel van Tonder produced the round of the day – and eight-under 64 that took him to eight under for the tournament as well.

SCORES

198 – Jaco Prinsloo 64 68 66
200 – Altin van der Merwe 67 68 65
201 – Martin Vorster 63 67 71
202 – Graham van der Merwe 68 67 67
202 – Benjamin Follett-Smith 68 63 71
204 – Austin Bautista 65 71 68
204 – Luke Brown 68 68 68
206 – Ryan Van Velzen 70 68 68
206 – Zander Lombard 65 68 73
207 – Jason Roets 71 68 68
208 – Daniel van Tonder 71 73 64
208 – Samuel Simpson 68 73 67, Tyran Snyders 70 71 67, Bryce Easton 71 69 68, Lyle Rowe 67 72 69, Nikhil Rama 68 70 70, MJ Viljoen 70 68 70
209 – Malcolm Mitchell 69 75 65
209 – Haydn Porteous 72 71 66, Allen John 71 71 67, Deon Germishuys 68 72 69, JC Ritchie 70 70 69, Brandon Stone 70 69 70
210 – Christiaan Burke 72 73 65
210 – Pierre Viallaneix 75 67 68, Louis Albertse 72 67 71
211 – Herman Loubser 70 70 71
211 – Trevor Fisher Jnr 70 69 72, Luis Carrera 65 72 74
212 – Hennie Otto 69 69 74
215 – Warwick Purchase 69 74 72
215 – Kyle De Beer 69 73 73, Keenan Davidse 71 69 75
217 – Gerhard Pepler 72 76 69
218 – Stuart Krog 72 72 74
218 – Kyle Barker 73 69 76
219 – Pieter Moolman 71 75 73
221 – Estiaan Conradie 75 74 72
Missed the cut:-
RTD – Luke Jerling 74 RTD

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The second round will resume at 06h15 on Saturday morning after being suspended due to bad light, with the third and final round not starting before 09:00.

Van Der Westhuizen, who signed for a second round of 68, currently leads by four shots over Tina Mazarino who also managed to complete her second round of 68.

Sanna Nuutinen, currently through eight holes, and Doris Chen, currently through five holes, were well placed on seven under when play ended on Friday.

The bad weather of the opening day means the second round will have to be completed on Saturday morning. Van Der Westhuizen had to complete her first round on Friday morning before going into her second round. She managed to do so with a 65 to lead by one shot.

“I am extremely happy about the first round. I haven’t had a bogey-free round in a very long time, I can’t even remember when last that happened,” she said.

Van Der Westhuizen had to endure a long day on Friday.

“I managed to finish 32 holes today to also finish the second round. I was a little bit nervous on the first tee, so starting with three birdies calmed the nerves a little bit. I did hit a few good shots during the round, but the putter was a bit cold. The birdie on the last hole almost topped the day for me – finishing it off strong,” she added.

With two top-10 finishes already this year, Van Der Westhuizen will be banking on what has worked for her so far come Saturday’s final round.

“I think I will stick to the same gameplan. My caddie and I have really been working hard together trying to manage the scores as it is a tough course. I will be trying to give myself as many chances as possible, be aggressive when I need to, and know when not to be aggressive,” Van Der Westhuizen said.

SCORES

-11 – Nadia van der Westhuizen 65 68
-7 – Tina Mazarino (NOR) 69 68
-7 – Sanna Nuutinen (FIN) 66 (-1) [8], Doris Chen (TPE) 66 (-1) [5]
-6 – Louisa Carlbom (SWE) 68 70
-6 – Romy Meekers (NED) 66 72, Caitlyn Macnab 72 66, Jordan Rothman 66 (Par) [7]
-5 – Verena Gimmy (GER) 66 73
-5 – Chloe Salort (FRA) 69 (-2) [10], Elina Saksa (FIN) 67 (Par) [5]
-4 – Danielle du Toit 70 70
-4 – Anna Backman (FIN) 69 (-1) [6], Tereza Melecka (CZE) 69 (-1) [5]
-3 – Zane Kleynhans 70 71
-3 – Nobuhle Dlamini (SWZ) 71 70, Louise Duncan (SCO) 69 (Par) [9]
-2 – Emie Peronnin (FRA) 71 71
-2 – Kiera Floyd 71 71, Ellie Gower (ENG) 69 73
-1 – Cara Gorlei 71 72
-1 – Annabel Wilson (NIR) 70 73, Kaiyuree Moodley 74 69, Stacy Bregman 70 73, Sophie Witt (GER) 69 74, Kesha Louw (a) 71 (Par) [10], Andrea Bergsdottir (ISL) 74 (-3) [7]
Par – Michelle Forsland (NOR) 72 72
Par – Ffion Tynan (WAL) 70 74, Charlotte Liautier (FRA) 73 71, Marianne Skarpnord (NOR) 71 73, Gabrielle Venter 70 74, Ivanna van der Merwe 72 72, Mayka Hoogeboom (NED) 74 (-2) [11], Mia Eales-Smith (ENG) 74 (-2) [10], Lorna McClymont (SCO) 74 (-2) [9], Ashley Chow (CAN) 71 (+1) [9], Rosie Belsham (ENG) 72 (Par) [7]
+1 – Carolin Kauffmann (GER) 74 71
+1 – Theresa de Bochdanovits (GER) 75 70, Lucie Malchirand (FRA) 73 72, Thalia Martin (ENG) 74 71, Bobbi Brown 74 71, Jess Baker (BRI) 71 (+2) [11], Michaela Vavrova (SVK) 67 (+6) [10], Lois Lau (FRA) 73 (Par) [9], Nina Pegova (WHT) 71 (+2) [7]

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On a slightly more tricky day thanks to the wind, Vorster signed for a second round of 67 that ended with an eagle two on the par-four 18th to lead on 14 under par overall.

His nearest challenger is Zimbabwe’s Benjamin Follett-Smith on 13 under par after he equalled the course record with his 63. And Jaco Prinsloo is currently third just two shots off the lead.

Vorster has had a magnificently consistent season that has brought him to this final tournament still hunting a victory.

But he’s determined to head into the final 36 holes of the 2025/26 season with a different focus as he looks to break through.

“I want to win with everything in me. But I think it’s important to phrase that I would like to win, and not I must win. If I can control my controllables really well, that’s all I can do. I can’t control what anybody else does around me. I’m just going to give it my best,” he said.

Vorster will take confidence from having retained his lead in the face of tougher conditions and the charge from Follett-Smith.

“It was definitely much harder out there. Benjamin’s 63 is unbelievable because of the wind and a few tougher flag positions. My goal today was just to try and stick to my routines and commit to my shots. It’s nice to add up the score and see that I’m in the lead.”

Follett-Smith missed a makeable birdie putt on the last for a course record at the end of a day of birdies for him.

“My girlfriend was walking with me and she kept saying, ‘Birdie again. Birdie again’. It was going well.

Overall it was a lot of good shots that paid off. The goal is to win, but it’s also been nice to be here in the winelands. We’re staying on a nice wine farm and it’s good to finish your round and get your mind off golf a bit.”

SCORES

130 – Martin Vorster 63 67
131 – Benjamin Follett-Smith 68 63
132 – Jaco Prinsloo 64 68
133 – Zander Lombard 65 68
135 – Graham van der Merwe 68 67
135 – Altin van der Merwe 67 68
136 – Luke Brown 68 68
136 – Austin Bautista 65 71
137 – Luis Carrera 65 72
138 – MJ Viljoen 70 68
138 – Ryan Van Velzen 70 68, Hennie Otto 69 69, Nikhil Rama 68 70
139 – Louis Albertse 72 67
139 – Jason Roets 71 68, Brandon Stone 70 69, Trevor Fisher Jnr 70 69, Lyle Rowe 67 72
140 – Bryce Easton 71 69
140 – Keenan Davidse 71 69, Herman Loubser 70 70, JC Ritchie 70 70, Deon Germishuys 68 72
141 – Tyran Snyders 70 71
141 – Samuel Simpson 68 73
142 – Pierre Viallaneix 75 67
142 – Kyle Barker 73 69, Allen John 71 71, Kyle De Beer 69 73
143 – Haydn Porteous 72 71
143 – Warwick Purchase 69 74
144 – Stuart Krog 72 72
144 – Daniel van Tonder 71 73, Malcolm Mitchell 69 75
145 – Christiaan Burke 72 73
146 – Pieter Moolman 71 75
148 – Gerhard Pepler 72 76
149 – Estiaan Conradie 75 74
Missed the cut:-
RTD – Luke Jerling 74 RTD

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Amongst the notable awards of the evening, Casey Jarvis received the prestigious Commissioner’s Award in recognition of his outstanding performances in winning three times on the Sunshine Tour – including the DP World Tour co-sanctioned Investec South African Open – and a further victory on the DP World Tour alone. He also finished second in the Joburg Open.

“The Commissioner’s Award is in recognition of the player who broke through and just kept on achieving. Casey did exactly this over the season. He’s a wonderful young talent and we wish him all the best as he now looks forward to playing the Majors as well,” said Thomas Abt, Commissioner of the Sunshine Tour.

Herman Loubser won the Players’ Player of the Year Award, while Shaun Norris was honoured with the Sportsman of the Year Award, and Hennie Otto received the Executive Director’s Award for his longevity on the Sunshine Tour.

Loubser was recognised by his fellow professionals for a season in which he won on the Vodacom Origins of Golf series and had a further four top-five finishes in what has been his most successful season on the Tour.

“I wasn’t expecting this. When other players vote for you and they recognise how much work it takes and how hard it is to perform, it really is special to receive that,” he said.

Norris received the Sportsman of the Year Award for his act of sportsmanship during his playoff with Jayden Schaper in December’s Alfred Dunhill Championship, when he applauded Schaper’s brilliant fairway bunker shot onto the green in the playoff.

“We all strive to win tournaments, and here was a youngster with all the talent in the world who had a wonderful year leading up to that event. It’s hard to win, so for him in that position, to pull off a shot like that, I just felt it deserved an applause. I was amazed by the shot, so I just felt like congratulating him for even pulling it off, and then making the putt on top of it. He did everything correctly and he pulled it off, so for me it was just a case of knowing what it feels like to go through that and to try and win a tournament, which is not easy. I was very happy for him to pull that off,” said Norris.

Otto was recognised for his incredible longevity in a career that started on the Sunshine Tour in 1999 and which has seen him win multiple titles here and on the DP World Tour.

“The Sunshine Tour gave me opportunities and from there I was able to play on the HotelPlanner Tour and DP World Tour. I want to thank the Tour for where I am now. And to the younger professionals, I’d like to say please realise the opportunities you get through the Sunshine Tour to achieve your higher goals in the game,” said Otto.

In other awards, Daniel van Tonder received the Best Finish to Win Award for his phenomenal closing stretch of two birdies and an eagle to win the Serengeti Playoffs on the Courier Guy Playoffs series.
Haydn Porteous received the Comeback Player of the Year Award for winning on the Vodacom Origins of Golf series this season, his first victory on the Sunshine Tour since 2016.

And Kyle Barker received both the Media Choice Award, recognising the player who created the most engagement in promoting the Tour, and the Tour Style Award, voted by the players and recognising the individual who stood out for his overall presence on and off the golf course.

Reflecting on the significance of the awards, Abt said: “This was a wonderful celebration of our Tour and our players. We run a big Tour with roughly 30 events on our schedule, and this is a moment for the players to look back and realise they’ve done well this season.”

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“I love that course. I have played there a bunch of times in the SA Amateur. So, I think the same game plan will work. I am just going to stay aggressive and hopefully the putter behaves,” said Venter following her win in the Platinum Ladies Open at Blair Atholl Golf and Equestrian Estate on Friday.

Venter is joined in the field by Danielle du Toit and France’s Lois Lau, both recent winners on the Sunshine Ladies Tour, as well as defending champion Thalia Martin from England, and who claimed her maiden professional title in last year’s ABSA Ladies Invitational.

This week’s tournament is the last in the lead-up to the two Ladies European Tour co-sanctioned tournaments, with the Joburg Ladies Open taking place from 16-19 April at Randpark Golf Club, and the Investec South African Women’s Open being played from 23-26 April at Royal Cape Golf Club.

Germany’s Celina Sattelkau and Sophie Witt currently occupy the top two positions on this year’s Investec Order of Merit, with Sattelkau having claimed back-to-back victories in February.

Du Toit is currently third on the Investec Order of Merit after winning the Standard Bank Ladies Open hosted by the City of Cape Town in early March, and adding finishes of tied eighth in the SuperSport Ladies Challenge and tied second in the Jabra Ladies Classic. This year’s Investec Order of Merit winner will receive a R200 000 bonus as well as the use of a Renault vehicle for a year.

South Africa’s Caitlyn Macnab and Zane Kleynhans, together with France’s Lois Lau, are the top three leading the charge for The R&A Rookie of the Year honours. The leading rookie at the end of the season receives automatic exemptions, if not already exempt, into the 2027 Investec South African Women’s Open and Joburg Ladies Open.

Winners on this year’s Sunshine Ladies Tour will also receive exemptions to compete with the Sunshine Tour professionals in the Waterfall City Tournament of Champions supported by Attacq and WCMC in early June, where they will compete for a first prize of R1 million for the professionals.

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After her strong finish to close with a 66 and tie Stavnar for the lead on 16 under par following the Norwegian’s final round of 68, Venter carried that momentum into the playoff and birdied the first playoff hole to win and claim her second Sunshine Ladies Tour title.

“I am very happy. I played great, hit some really good shots, and didn’t make any mistakes, which is a positive. I am very happy with the win,” Venter said.

The South African duo of Bobbi Brown (66) and Jordan Rothman shared third place with Iceland’s Gudrun Bjorgvinsdottir (67) on 14 under par.

After battling with flu as well as a tough 27-hole second day cause by weather delays, Venter gave it everything during Friday’s final round knowing she had to be aggressive to stand a chance.

“I am still struggling with flu but the body held up fine and it didn’t hold me back today. Coming into the back nine I was hitting great shots but wasn’t making any putts, but I stayed consistent and aggressive. I knew on the 18th hole I had to go for it and then hit a really good drive to give myself the opportunity to do so, and I made the birdie putt,” Venter said.

Playing the par-five 18th again in the playoff, her gameplan was the same.

“I almost hit it in the exact same place, but unfortunately it ended up in a divot. I was thinking about laying it up, but decided it’s now or never. I just hit my five-wood as hard as I could, and it made it up the hill, which Ieft me with a two-putt for birdie and the win,” Venter said.

The Sunshine Ladies Tour will next head to Royal Johannesburg for the ABSA Ladies Invitational that will take place from 26-28 March.

SCORES

WN – Gabrielle Venter 69 65 66 WN
KO – Madelene Stavnar (NOR) 63 69 68 KO
202 – Bobbi Brown 69 67 66
202 – Gudrun Bjorgvinsdottir (ISL) 69 66 67, Jordan Rothman 67 68 67
204 – Tina Mazarino (NOR) 68 67 69
204 – Sophie Witt (GER) 67 68 69, Ashley Chow (CAN) 69 66 69
205 – Louise Rydqvist (SWE) 70 67 68
205 – Rebecca Earl (ENG) 67 69 69, Lee-Anne Pace 68 68 69, Louisa Carlbom (SWE) 62 72 71
206 – Ellie Gower (ENG) 71 69 66
206 – Symone Henriques 67 68 71, Lorna McClymont (SCO) 68 65 73
207 – Elina Saksa (FIN) 66 71 70
207 – Anna Backman (FIN) 68 72 67, Danielle du Toit 66 69 72, Charlotte Liautier (FRA) 70 71 66, Kristyna Napoleaova (CZE) 67 67 73
208 – Verena Gimmy (GER) 68 70 70
208 – Emie Peronnin (FRA) 72 68 68, Theresa de Bochdanovits (GER) 66 70 72
209 – Tereza Melecka (CZE) 69 70 70
209 – Nadia van der Westhuizen 70 68 71, Thalia Martin (ENG) 69 68 72, Bronwyn Doeg 70 66 73, Olivia Mehaffey (NIR) 73 68 68, Sanna Nuutinen (FIN) 71 70 68
210 – Hanna Tauber (GER) 68 70 72
210 – Anais Meyssonnier (FRA) 70 68 72, Canice Screene (IRL) 72 68 70
211 – Sofie Bringner (SWE) 69 69 73
211 – Anita Uwadia (BRI) 72 67 72, Hulda Gestsdottir (ISL) 71 70 70
212 – Elina Nummenpaa (FIN) 68 70 74
212 – Ekaterina Malakhova (WHT) 67 72 73, Cara Gorlei 68 72 72, Lora Assad 72 68 72, Michaela Vavrova (SVK) 72 68 72, Doris Chen (TPE) 70 70 72, Zane Kleynhans 71 70 71
213 – Zethu Myeki 71 66 76
213 – Lois Lau (FRA) 73 68 72, Carolin Kauffmann (GER) 70 71 72
214 – Lianna Bailey (ENG) 68 69 77
214 – Lucie Malchirand (FRA) 71 70 73
216 – Gia Raad (a) 67 74 75

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The round will be completed on Friday morning before the start of the final round.

Stavnar managed to complete her second round on Thursday and signed for a 69 to lead by a single stroke over Scotland’s Lorna McClymont, who posted a 65.

The best placed South African after the second day is Gabrielle Venter (65), who had to navigate 27 holes to complete her first and second rounds. She is in joint third place on 10 under par with Kristyna Napoleaova (67), and Louisa Carlbom, who is through nine holes of her second round.

“I started off a bit slow today as I am a bit sick with flu. I wasn’t feeling my best at all,” said Venter.

“It was tough having to go out again today. But my second round was a great round. My ball striking was very good. I felt like I was playing very nicely and could have probably made a few more birdies. But all-in-all it was a really good round, especially for such a long day. I just battled it out today.”

Venter is hunting a third Sunshine Ladies Tour title this week.

“I will definitely stay aggressive, but I’ll keep taking it shot by shot. As I’m not feeling well, I don’t want to waste too much energy by thinking too much. So I will stay aggressive and see what happens,” Venter said.

SCORES (*incomplete round)

-12 – Madelene Stavnar (NOR) 63 69
-11 – Lorna McClymont (SCO) 68 65
-10 – Gabrielle Venter 69 65
-10 – Kristyna Napoleaova (CZE) 67 67, Louisa Carlbom (SWE) 62 (Par) [10]
-9 – Ashley Chow (CAN) 69 66
-9 – Jordan Rothman 67 68, Gudrun Bjorgvinsdottir (ISL) 69 66, Danielle du Toit 66 69, Sophie Witt (GER) 67 68, Tina Mazarino (NOR) 68 67, Symone Henriques 67 68
-8 – Lee-Anne Pace 68 68
-8 – Bronwyn Doeg 70 66, Elina Nummenpaa (FIN) 68 (-4) [14], Theresa de Bochdanovits (GER) 66 (-2) [13], Rebecca Earl (ENG) 67 (-3) [9]
-7 – Zethu Myeki 71 66
-7 – Thalia Martin (ENG) 69 68, Elina Saksa (FIN) 66 (-1) [12], Bobbi Brown 69 (-4) [12], Sofie Bringner (SWE) 69 (-4) [11]
-6 – Anais Meyssonnier (FRA) 70 68
-6 – Nadia van der Westhuizen 70 68, Verena Gimmy (GER) 68 70, Hanna Tauber (GER) 68 (-2) [13], Charlotte Liautier (FRA) 70 (-4) [10]
-5 – Anita Uwadia (BRI) 72 67
-5 – Tereza Melecka (CZE) 69 70, Ekaterina Malakhova (WHT) 67 (Par) [16], Lindi Coetzee 68 (-1) [11], Lianna Bailey (ENG) 68 (-1) [10]
-4 – Cara Gorlei 68 72
-4 – Ellie Gower (ENG) 71 69, Emie Peronnin (FRA) 72 68, Lora Assad 72 68, Anna Backman (FIN) 68 (Par) [14], Canice Screene (IRL) 72 (-4) [13], Clara Pietri (SUI) 70 (-2) [11]
-3 – Olivia Mehaffey (NIR) 73 68
-3 – Lois Lau (FRA) 73 68, Lucie Malchirand (FRA) 71 70, Carolin Kauffmann (GER) 70 71, Zane Kleynhans 71 70, Gia Raad (a) 67 (+2) [14], Louise Rydqvist (SWE) 70 (-1) [12], Doris Chen (TPE) 70 (-1) [10]

Issued By Michael Vlismas Media

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Carlbom made it into the clubhouse before lightning suspended play. The first round will resume on Thursday morning.

“It’s definitely one of my best rounds of golf. I’ve had a round of seven under before, but never 10 under par, so it’s really exciting,” said the Swede.

Carlbom currently has a four-stroke lead over Finland’s Elina Saksa and Germany’s Theresa de Bochdanovits who share second place following their rounds of six-under-par 66.

Carlbom wasted no time in her round and started with an eagle on the par-five first hole followed by five birdies on the front nine to turn in 28. She followed that with three more birdies on the back nine.

“That front nine was pretty cool. I didn’t know exactly what score I was on, but I knew I was headed towards a record round for myself so I was getting a bit nervous. I hit a lot of greens and rolled in the putts. Tee to green was very solid today,” Carlbom said.

Carlbom, who finished in the top-10 in last week’s Jabra Ladies Classic, is happy that some hard off-season work is now being rewarded.

“I am really happy with where my game is currently. I’ve worked hard during the winter season and as I am from Sweden, a lot of practice happens indoors. So it’s good to try out what I have been working on with my coach on the course.”

After the strong opening round, Carlbom is excited about what the rest of the tournament can offer.

“I am really excited to play more golf on this beautiful golf course. It’s easy to enjoy golf on Blair Atholl. It presents opportunities with the par-fives being reachable, so it’s really nice,” she said.

SCORES (*incomplete round)

-10 – Louisa Carlbom (SWE)
-6 – Elina Saksa (FIN)
-6 – Theresa de Bochdanovits (GER)
-5 – Gia Raad (a)
-5 – Ekaterina Malakhova (WHT), Rebecca Earl (ENG)
-4 – Elina Nummenpaa (FIN)
-4 – Anna Backman (FIN), Nina Pegova (WHT), Hanna Tauber (GER), Lindi Coetzee, Lianna Bailey (ENG)
-3 – Sofie Bringner (SWE)
-3 – Bobbi Brown, Rosie Belsham (ENG), Chloe Salort (FRA), Laura Beveridge (SCO) [12], Jordan Rothman [11], Anne-Lise Caudal (FRA) [10], Lorna McClymont (SCO) [8], Madelene Stavnar (NOR) [8], Danielle du Toit [8], Symone Henriques [7]
-2 – Louise Rydqvist (SWE)
-2 – Clara Pietri (SUI), Charlotte Liautier (FRA), Doris Chen (TPE), Ellie Gower (ENG) [11], Lee-Anne Pace [10], Gabrielle Venter [9], Romy Meekers (NED) [9], Zane Kleynhans [9], Zethu Myeki [9], Bronwyn Doeg [9], Gudrun Bjorgvinsdottir (ISL) [8], Verena Gimmy (GER) [7]
-1 – Sanna Nuutinen (FIN)
-1 – Maiken Bing Paulsen (NOR), Claire Minter (ZIM), Mia Eales-Smith (ENG), Tiffany Arafi (SUI), Hulda Gestsdottir (ISL), Hayley Davis (ENG) [13], Ashley Chow (CAN) [11], Cara Gorlei [11], Tereza Melecka (CZE) [11], Lucie Malchirand (FRA) [10], Emie Peronnin (FRA) [10], Nadia van der Westhuizen [9], Tina Mazarino (NOR) [8], Thalia Martin (ENG) [8], Sophie Witt (GER) [8]
Par – Gala Dumez (FRA)
Par – Ffion Tynan (WAL), Canice Screene (IRL), Lynette Fourie, Michaela Vavrova (SVK), Andrea Bergsdottir (ISL), Anais Meyssonnier (FRA) [13], Kaylah Williams [12], Tandi McCallum [11], Anita Uwadia (BRI) [11], Olivia Mehaffey (NIR) [11], Carolin Kauffmann (GER) [10], Lois Lau (FRA) [9], Cara Ford [9], Kristyna Napoleaova (CZE) [9], Lora Assad [9], Kaiyuree Moodley [8], Ivanna van der Merwe [7]
+1 – Crizelda Terblanche
+1 – Shawnelle de Lange, Linn Wiberg (SWE), Lenanda Nel [12], Mayka Hoogeboom (NED) [12], Kiera Floyd [11], Marianne Skarpnord (NOR) [10], Nobuhle Dlamini (SWZ) [9], Stacy Bregman [8]
+2 – Taylor White (SCO)
+2 – Hester Sicking (NED), Megan Dennis (ENG), Kelsey Nicholas [12], Hannah Karg (GER) [11], Demi Flanagan [11]
+3 – Ellandri van Heerden
+3 – Ellen Hume (ENG), Louise Duncan (SCO), Jess Baker (BRI), Michelle Forsland (NOR), Leontine Petit (FRA), Chiara Horder (GER) [12], Danielle Hardwick (ENG) [11], Tara Baglione [9]
+4 – Chante van Zyl
+5 – Naom Wafula (KEN) [13]
+7 – Cheslyn Jacobs (a)
+8 – Yolanda Duma
+12 – Kim de Klerk

Issued by Michael Vlismas Media

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