Pace times it just right at Zwartkop

PEARL Valley’s Lee-Anne Pace claimed her third Sunshine Ladies Tour title in the SuperSport Ladies Challenge with perfectly timed back-toback birdies at the closing holes of Zwartkop Country Club yesterday.

The world No 30 dashed Ashleigh Simon’s hopes of consecutive titles and overtook Kim Williams with a closing three-under-par 69 in a thrilling grandstand finish.

Pace won the inaugural Investec Cup for Ladies in March last year and claimed the season-opening SA Women’s Open in October.

She notched her third title on the local tour with a onestroke victory on a five-underpar 137, edging out Nobuhle Dlamini, who signed for a 69, as well as Simon and Williams, who both registered 71s.

“It was perfect to win on home soil,” said the delighted champion. “I hoped to be in the running, but I honestly didn’t think I could pull it off.

“Ashleigh was really sick this morning, but she soldiered on and played an incredible round of golf. Kim got the putter going and she was all over the pins.

“It was an amazing tussle between us all the way to the last hole.

“It’s fantastic to be back and I’m thrilled to be back in the mix for the Chase to the Investec Cup for Ladies.”

Pace will target a successive victory in the Ladies Tshwane Open next week.

Three-time Sunshine Ladies Tour winner Stacy Bregman leads the Chase to the 2015 Investec Cup for Ladies rankings with 988 points, but Pace’s victory netted her 250 points.