The 2017 Chase to the Investec Cup for Ladies winner Ashleigh Buhai went straight back to the top in the first round of the Investec Royal Swazi Open.
‘Gosh, I haven’t played this course in 15 years or so, and it felt I like I was playing it blind,’ said the 27-year-old Edenvale golfer after she went around the Royal Swazi Spa Country Club layout in 73 strokes to bank one point in the Modified Scoring format.
‘My ball-striking was surprisingly good, considering we only landed back from the United States on Tuesday morning. I lost three points to bogeys at three, nine and 12, but I gained two points for my birdies at four and 10.
‘I felt pretty good out there and I hit some good shots into the greens, but just not quite close enough to make more birdies. I didn’t take advantage of the par fives, either, but now that I know how they play, I think I can do better on Thursday.
Buhai leads the R100 000 event by one point from Stacy Bregman and finished two points ahead of local favourite Nobuhle Dlamini.
Dlamini racked up five birdies worth five points at her home course, but she paid dearly with six points for double bogeys at the first, 10th and 13th. Further bogeys at the third and ninth holes took the Swazi golfer’s tally to -1.
‘I didn’t have a great day,’ said Dlamini, who has been campaigning on the Symetra Tour in the United States and also only arrived home ahead of the event.
‘I felt quite drained out there after the long flight back, but I had an absolutely fantastic time with my amateurs. It’s so good to have a tournament here at home, even if we are only six ladies in the field. The support from my countrymen for the event and for the girls has been amazing. Hopefully I will shake the jetlag and put together a better round on Thursday.
Bonita Bredenhann from Namibia finished in fourth at -2.
Reigning Dimension Data Ladies Challenge champion Nicole Garcia and three-time Sunshine Ladies Tour winner Bertine Strauss also need to find some putts to put a dent in their negative numbers in Thursday’s second round.
Words: Lali Stander
Photo: Sunshine Ladies Tour
