Williams’s win gives her leg up for finale
The 2017 Sunshine Ladies Tour season is heading for a thrilling finale after Kim Williams produced a grandstand finish to capture the R500,000 Joburg Ladies Open title on Tuesday.
The Centurion Country Club player overcame an early triple bogey to shoot a five-under-par 67, racing through the back nine at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington in 29 strokes.
Williams won the seasonopening SuperSport Ladies Challenge and she locked down the final counting event in the Chase to the Investec Cup with a staggering five-stroke victory on 11-under-par 205.
Her second podium finish was worth R70,000, but the real gold for Williams was the 650 points she banked. With a winner-takes-all prize of R100,000 and a R1m bonus pool to play for at the Cup Final, she could not have peaked at a more opportune time.
“This win lifted me from seventh to fourth in the Investec Cup,” said Williams.
“I was crushed when I just missed the top 10 [in 2016]. This time I am heading to Millvale Private Retreat with a realistic chance to win the season finale on Sunday.”
Bonita Bredenhann from Namibia played herself into the top 10 for the final with three successive rounds of 70 and a joint second-place finish with England’s Lauren Taylor (73).
Lejan Lewthwaite from Serengeti moved from 12th to ninth in the points standings with a 68 and a share of fourth at five under with Melissa Eaton (67), Morgana Robbertze (68) and Scotland’s Kylie Henry (70).
England’s Kiran Matharu protected her lead in the Chase with a 68 to finish fifth. Nobuhle Dlamini from Swaziland nabbed the final spot in the top 10 with a two-under 70 and a share of ninth at two under with Tandi von Ruben (69). The remaining players who make up the top-10 field for the season finale are Ashleigh Buhai (second), Nicole Garcia (third), Carrie Park (fifth), Lee-Anne Pace (sixth) and Von Ruben (seventh).
Williams thought she had spoiled her bid with a triple bogey at the par-three fifth. “I struggled to get some rhythm going, but then I birdied eight, made a really good par at nine and another birdie at 10.”