2014 Cell C South African Women’s Open

After a turbulent couple of days of inclement weather, organisers held their collective breaths as we watched on thinking ‘here we go again’. The wind and rain wreaked havoc around the course and some weather-beaten players came to their last holes of the day battle weary. Each wondering what fate lay before them.

The rain flooded greens reduced the 2014 Cell C South African Women’s Open to a 54 hole competition, reminiscent of last years wipe out.

Players scrambling to busy themselves in the downtime made the most of their visit to the Hibiscus Coast engaging in various sightseeing escapades.

By the time play recommenced on Saturday, the cut came in at +10. A sigh of relief from Becky Brewerton (Wal) after she put on a steady back 9. Reward for effort as she gets to play another day and get some revenge on the course.

Among the players taken by the cut was French woman Anne-Lise Caudal, who I had predicted to have a good event. Like many, she was swallowed up and attempts to reconcile any score was futile. The surrender flag came out for many of the South African amateur hopefuls who lined up with their hero’s this week but gave in to the poor weather conditions.

Deflated but not defeated is South African amateur Shawnelle De Lange. Her game was enough to see her through and is one of the local hopefuls with Paula Reto, Stacy Lee Bregman and Connie Chen sitting, surprisingly, way back on the leaderboard.

Lee-Anne Pace on the other hand, is in equal 9th position just 4 strokes from the lead. South Africa will be behind her every shot on Sunday in hope their trophy stays at home. Pace will stand tall and absorb the atmosphere that will surround her and give it her best shot.

Standing in the way of a South African ‘after event’ party is a line up of players quite used to the soggy conditions. Gwladys Nocera, Valentine Derry and Sophie Giguel-Bettan from France at equal 6th place finishing the second round sitting at -1. Fabienne In-Albon (Swi) and Charley Hull (Eng) 4th, Ann-Kathrin Lindner (Ger) and Holly Clyburn (Eng) equal 2nd place.

German Leigh Whittaker atop of the board after shooting an almost flawless 67. Whittaker found her groove shooting a -5 against the tide and yet to fall to anything worse than bogey.

Round 1, Charley Hull’s card was lighting up with birdies until her falter on holes 17 and 18. After an up and down day on the second round, Hull claimed back ownership of those holes with defiant birdies to see her get into the club house at equal 4th. Only two strokes back from the lead.

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Hull, has not perhaps stood up to the unrealistic expectations we inadvertently place on our super-hero’s. With what would be considered a very successful year so far on the Ladies European Tour (LET), Hull can hold her head high after a brilliant win, her first professional victory, at Lalla Meryem Cup in March. She captured 12th place at the Ricoh Women’s British Open , 2nd place after a play-off at the Ladies German Open and is currently in 3rd place on the ISPS Handa Order of Merit. She will start the last round confident. Without the pressure of a home win, like Pace is now facing after her compatriots have faded, Hull will be able to relax and wrap the weekend up if she channels the energy that rocketed her to greatness in 2013.

Weather permitting and if the coast is clear, the 2014 Cell C South African Women’s Open will be an exciting battle, be sure to follow to the end.

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2014 Cell C South African Women’s Open Update

By Annette Walker | Oct 19, 2014