The winners from Sun City. Image: GolfRSA
Van Kan, Gutuza and Sikhonde triumph at Sun City
Kyra van Kan, Sarah Gutuza and eight-year-old Milani Sikhonde had a lot to celebrate after scooping titles at Sun City.
The winners from Sun City. Image: GolfRSA
GolfRSA No 1 Kyra van Kan, Sarah Gutuza and eight-year-old Milani Sikhonde had a lot to celebrate after scooping the 2023 Nomads SA Girls Rose Bowl presented by Sun International titles with outstanding performances at Sun City this March.
Reigning South African Amateur champion Van Kan arrived at the Lost City Golf Course in hot form after finishing as the Leading Amateur in the Sunshine Ladies and Ladies European Tours’ co-sanctioned Investec South African Women’s Open a fortnight ago.
Hot golf at Sun City
She backed up an opening one-under 71 with a 73 on day one in the blistering heat in the North West and waltzed to a 13-shot victory in the Championship Division, courtesy of an unrivalled third round of five-under 67.
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At the end of the second round, Van Kan had bullishly declared that the Lost City Golf Course was there for the taking and she was disappointed that she had not taken better advantage of her opportunities.
She made up for it in the final round, firing six birdies in a near-perfect round of 67.
“My wedges were pretty nice today and I was able to stick them close,” Van Kan said. “I birdied all the par-fives. I told my dad that I wanted to shoot four-under for the tournament this week, so going five-under was really special. It shows me that I can stick to my game plan and focus on the goal, so, it was a good day for me.”
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Van Kan is well aware of the prestige of this tournament and the significant role the Nomads Golf Club of South Africa plays in developing and growing the game in South Africa.
‘Feeling incredible’ – Van Kan
“This is a huge event and to win at this prestigious venue and against such a strong field is incredible,” she said. “Everything that GolfRSA, the Nomads and Sun International have done to make this event happen is absolutely amazing.”
Fellow GolfRSA National Squad members Gia Raad from Central Gauteng (224) and Kesha Louw from Border (225) finished second and third respectively.
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Gutuza trailed fellow Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club junior Valentina Sakota by five shots after an opening 85, but she rallied with a second round 87 to pull two shots clear in the Silver Division.
The 18-year-old knew she had her work cut out and she stuck to her game plan. A final round 82 was enough to secure a timely victory before she ascends to the championship division.
“This is probably going to be one of my last events in this division before I go to the Championship Division, so this win is a good way to go out,” Gutuza said after her triumph.
“I had a bad last round at the South African Amateur Championships and today, I just wanted to do better than I did in the last round of that tournament. My putting was a lot better today; I made the comeback putts, and I made the long putts, and I didn’t lose the ball.
“I stuck to my own game plan, and played to my strengths and I didn’t get distracted by what my playing partners were doing. It feels really good to get this one in the bag.”
Fellow Central Gauteng junior Yaone Mokgatle closed with an 87 to finish in second, while Ekurhuleni’s Keira Howroyd and Amy Stanton from Central Gauteng tied for third.
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Serengeti Golf Estates’ young sensation and first-time participant in this prestigious event, Sikhonde, was the talk of the town in the Bronze Division at Sun City.
Before the first tee shot was even fired in the 36-hole Individual Stableford competition, she declared that her only target was to win on debut and Sikhonde was true to her word, carding rounds of 35 and 34 for an impressive four-point victory.
“The key for me was to concentrate, do my best and keep on going,” said Sikhonde after claiming the title with 69 points. “I putted really well, but the other parts of my game were good, too. I am very happy about this win. It means the world to me. It’s my first time playing this tournament and it feels great to win.”
Caitlen van Heerden from Bloemfontein and Western Province pair Aminah Hendricks and Tyra Booysen tied for second on 65 points at Sun City.
GolfRSA National Squad members scored a clean sweep in the individual age categories, with Lisa Coetzer from Ekurhuleni winning the Junior Girls U-12, North West’s Megan Marais the Junior Girls U-14 and Raad from Central Gauteng the Junior Girls U-16.
CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION RESULT AT SUN CITY
211 Kyra van Kan 71 73 67
224 Gia Raad 75 77 72
225 Kesha Louw 74 76 75
229 Jasmine Furstenburg 75 76 78
232 Lisa Coetzer 78 76 78; Charlotte Millard 76 76 80
235 Olivia Wood 83 76 76; Casey Twidale 74 79 82
236 Ellandri van Heerden 73 82 81
237 Amy Fletcher 81 82 74
238 Zané Kleynhans 79 81 78
239 Jaime Meth 81 81 77
242 Zanè Fourie 81 83 78
243 Shivania Kalimuthu 85 78 80; Megan Marais 84 83 76
244 Lea van der Merwe 81 83 80; Holly Erler 79 83 82
245 Isabella Williams 80 79 86
246 Olivia Krige 79 80 87
248 Kaylee Webster 89 78 81; Kamaya Moodliar 82 82 84
249 Isabella Obray 82 86 81
250 Lucia Mhlabane 88 82 80
251 Jemima Ullyett 84 75 92; Ame van der Merwe 81 84 86
252 Yuanzhen Wei 87 87 78; Ineke Brynard 83 84 85; Maegan Webster 81 86 85
254 Bea Breedt 86 87 81
255 Erin Bree Brinkman 89 86 80
256 Orateng Maphake 85 83 88; Jaden Visagie 82 88 86
257 Zayaan Hendricks 82 84 91
259 Amy Fusedale 91 85 83; Tebogo Lefifi 88 91 80; Phenyo Sebata 88 87 84
260 Ashley Huysamen 86 87 87
261 Lizerie Raubenheimer 85 83 93
263 Paola Sofia Sakota 82 90 91
WD Kaitlyn van de Vyver 79 WD
SILVER DIVISION RESULT
254 Sarah Gutuza 85 87 82
262 Yaone Mokgatle 91 84 87
263 Keira Howroyd 91 84 88; Amy Stanton 90 89 84
264 Stacey-Lee van Gent 87 89 88
265 Danielle Chong 88 88 89
269 Manule’ Gonsalves 92 85 92
270 Valentina Sakota 80 94 96
271 Charlotte Phipps 95 93 83
272 Monique Fourie 87 92 93
277 Kaitlyn Rix 84 97 96
278 Zoey Rhoda 97 88 93
285 Charlotte Dry 96 98 91
292 Inge De Beer 102 95 95
BRONZE DIVISION RESULT
69 Milani Sikhonde 35 34
65 Caitlen van Heerden 29 36; Aminah Hendricks 29 36; Tyra Booysen 30 35
59 Katlego Selemela 27 32
58 Pia Daya 31 27
56 Gemma Huxham 26 30
