Grillo, Sharma in India birdie fest

LALI STANDER

KAROLIN Lampert produced a brilliant front nine to surge into a one-shot lead on moving day at Westlake Golf Club, but Ashleigh Buhai is in close pursuit heading into today’s final round of the Investec South African Women’s Open.

The German had started the second round in a tie for second on two-under and a shot behind two-time champion Buhai.

On a magnificent morning tailor-made for low scoring, Lampert got off to a bogey start, but rallied with three birdies on the bounce from 13 to turn four-under. Buhai, playing behind the German, stretched her lead to fiveunder 139 with birdies at 13 and 17.

Lampert bogeyed the first, but birdied the par-five fourth and the 23-year-old set the clubhouse target at five-under with a birdie at the par-four eighth. She was still perched at the top of the leaderboard as action wrapped up yesterday.

“I took advantage of the good scoring conditions, because there wasn’t really any wind to speak of,” said the Golf Club St Leon Rot golfer. “The greens were rolling really nicely, so it was the perfect conditions to post a low round.

“I three-putted 10 and I wanted to get some shots back as quickly as possible. I had an opportunity at 12, but I missed the birdie putt from about eight feet. I stayed patient and hit some good shots into 13, 14 and 15 and the putts finally started rolling in.

“At the eighth I hit 3-wood off the tee to take the bunker out of play and I only had a wedge in to the pin that was stuck on the right. I hit it to 12 foot and one of the girls I played with, Lina Boqvist, hit it just past me. I got a really good read on her line and knocked the putt in. This is my first start of the season, so I couldn’t be happier. I’m still hunting a maiden win, and I’ve given myself a chance.”

Buhai birdied the fourth to go six-under, but hit a major wobble when she dropped three shots in succession from the sixth.

“I played really steady on the front nine and hit some really good shots, but I got myself into a bit of a downward spiral on my back nine with three soft drops,” said the 28-year-old. “I saw the lead was five-under coming up the eighth and I really wanted to make that last birdie.”

She hit her approach to 25 feet and nailed the putt for a 71 to finish within a shot of Lampert.

“The ninth hole was playing a lot shorter, so I hit driver and a wedge into the green. I have to admit that I have some mixed emotions. I’m happy that I got it to six under and I’m disappointed that I let it slip. Coming up the last, I just wanted to make sure I am still in the mix after the wobble and I did it with that birdie.

“We were really blessed with the weather on our side of the draw for the last two days, but there is wind forecast for the final round and we’ll be off late. We may have to adapt our strategy depending on the wind. But I’m in with a shout and that’s all that matters.”

Former Sanlam SA Amateur champion Bonita Bredenhann also got it to five under with three birdies in the first four holes, but she turned level par after a trio of bogeys.

The big-hitting Namibian erased a fourth bogey at 10 with a birdie at 13, and holed a 25-footer at 18 for birdie.

A round of 71 earned her sole third place on three-under.

“I can’t believe I’m in contention,” said the bubbly Namibian, a former Women’s Golf SA number one. “I’ve just had a horrible season, struggling for form, but it’s finally shown up. I’m super excited to be in the mix.”

The Ladies European Tour’s top ranked player Valdis Jonsdottir was twounder coming down 18, but the Icelander had tree trouble and bogeyed the closing hole.

The LET number 10 signed for 69 and will start the final round tied for fourth on oneunder with Morocco’s Maha Haddioui, who shot 71.

Defending champion LeeAnne Pace opened with a 78, but trended towards the leaders with birdies at four, seven, 13 and 17. Her par-putt at 18 just shaved the hole and a 69 puts her at three-over.

“To tell you the truth, I was worried that I’d miss the cut,” laughed Pace. “It was a little embarrassing turning up here this morning, but I got the putter going really nicely today.

“I set myself a target of four or five under, but unfortunately I got distracted as I started the putt at 18 and I ended up with a 69. The lead didn’t move much today, but I’ll have to go pretty low to win it. Anything is possible, though.”

And for Lindi Coetzee the final round is bound to be really special. Fresh off her first provincial victory in the North West Open, the Gauteng North golfer was the only amateur to make the cut to 50 and ties with rounds of 77 and 73.

Irrespective of what Coetzee shoots in the final round, she will stand next to the champion to receive the Jackie Mercer Trophy as the tournament’s leading amateur. ARGENTINA’S Emiliano Grillo opened up a four-shot lead heading into the weekend at the Indian Open but will be wary of local hope Shubhankar Sharma, who posted a new course record yesterday.

Grillo fired a four-under-par 68 to get to a 11-under total after two rounds at Gurgaon’s DLF Golf and Country Club and looked set to take a commanding lead into round three.

But Race to Dubai rankings leader Sharma surged into contention with six birdies on the back nine to sign for a 64.

Sharma, 21, fresh off a tied-ninth finish at last week’s WGC-Mexico Championship, capped a dramatic turnaround considering he was five-over after his first nine holes on Thursday.

“Today’s round will definitely rank up there as one of my most significant achievements, especially when it is played at this course,” Sharma, who will make his major debut at next month’s US Masters, said.

“If you told me I would be seven under par going into the weekend after being five over par on my opening nine holes yesterday, I would just have laughed.

“To be able to bounce back is really important, I knew I was playing well and I had to push myself a little.”

Spaniard Pablo Larrazabal and England’s Andrew Johnston shared the third spot at six-under after rounds of 71 and 66 respectively.

Swede Jens Dantorp, England’s Matt Wallace, South African Keith Horne and Thai Panuphol Pittayarat were at five under, a shot clear of a group including France’s Sebastien Gros, Dutchman Joost Luiten and American Paul Peterson. – Reuters

The format and qualification process for a revolutionary new golf event which was announced yesterday, which will see male and female professionals play together in a ground-breaking mixed team event, has been agreed by the European Tour and Ladies European Tour.

The inaugural European Golf Team Championships will take place at Gleneagles in Scotland from August 8-12 as part of the innovative multisport Glasgow 2018 European Championships.

The unique format will feature a 50/50 gender split in the field with male and female professionals competing for equal prize money in both a Men’s and Women’s Team matchplay Championship as well as an 18-hole foursomes strokeplay Mixed Team Championship.

Players will represent their countries with 16 teams of two players competing in the Men’s and Women’s Team events before combining to form teams of four (two men and two women) in the Mixed Team Championship. – ANA