WHATELEY AND PHIPPS VICTORIOUS AT MOUNT EDGECOMBE

Central Gauteng Golf Union’s Samantha Whateley went wire-to-wire to lift the South African Women’s Stroke Play Championship title, while teenager Charlotte Phipps celebrated a hugely popular Silver Division victory at Mount Edgecombe Last month.

Rounds of 69 on the par-70 Woods Course and a level-par 72 and closing 75 on The Lakes were ample to earn Whateley a long-awaited victory on a tournament total of two-over-par. The CC Johannesburg golfer finished six shots clear of Kyra van Kan from Ekurhuleni, Chloe Royston from KZN, and Southern Cape’s Jasmine Furstenburg.

“I am so happy that I was able to pull it through. It has been a dream of mine to win this tournament since I was young. I have played it every year since I was 12 years old and to finally win it is really very special.”

After temperatures soared to close to 40 degrees in the second round, the golfers arrived to a cold, overcast and windy day at the Lakes.

It turned into a rollercoaster round for the normally steady Whateley, three shots clear at the start.

Having recovered from an early bogey on the second with a birdie on the fourth, she dropped again on the seventh. She bounced back with a birdie at the turn and backed that up with another gain on the 11th hole, but then had a disappointing run of three bogeys on the trot from the 12th. Whateley found the cup again on the 15th for a satisfying birdie, but a double bogey at the final hole left her with a wry smile.

Fan favourite Charlotte Phipps gave the Mount Edgecombe members a proper reason to cheer when she made the most of her golf course knowledge in the familiar surroundings of her home course to race raced to a 14-stroke victory.

“I am very happy because the Lakes is my favourite home course, and to win here today in these conditions is extra special,” said Phipps, who carded rounds of 84, 79 and 88.

“It’s great that I can keep this trophy at Mount Edgecombe. It was a tough week, because the rough is up, but I am happy with how I played. The majority of my drives were really good today and I putted really well and saved me a lot of shots.”

Oubaai Golf Club’s Holly Erler finished in second place with rounds of 92, 90 and 83 while Jaime Meth from CC Johannesburg was a further stroke adrift in third after carding rounds of 92, 89 and 85.