Currie has made a hot start to a potential golf career
ELIZABETH Currie (22), better known as Lizzie, has been playing competitive golf for about five years. Since her earliest days of involvement, she has achieved amazing feats.
Currie made history when she was part of a team that won an inter-provincial event for KwaZulu-Natal, for the first time in 16 years.
Within the first few months of playing the game, the talented sportswoman won her first all-girls junior tournament at the Nomads Girls’ Champs at Selborne Golf Club.
Since then she has matched the feat every December, successively claim each title since 2013 – and went on to win the KZN Ladies’ Golf Association Order of Merit.
In 2013 she won the KZN A2 division at the inter-provincial tournament.
“I was selected to play 72 holes at Mossel Bay and play in the A team. My partners, Tiffany Avern-Taplin, who was also our captain, Michaela Fletcher and I ended up making history as it was the first time in 16 years that KZN had won the A Division since LeeAnne Pace’s amateur days,” she said.
Currie, who was adopted at an early age, has always been sport-focused, playing hockey, tennis, netball, soccer and some touch rugby. Now, her passion and focus is on golf, which has presented many opportunities. She dedicated to the game and would like to turn professional in the near future.
In fact, in 2014, the Women’s Professional Golf Association invited her to play in the Zambian Women’s Open.
“The golf was not good at all, but I gained a lot of experience from it. I grew as a person and as a golfer, as it was my first time travelling alone out of SA,” she said.
And in 2014, she was invited to play in the SA Women’s Open as an amateur golfer, which was “such an honour”.
She played three of the Sunshine Ladies Tour (SLT) events, at Lost City, Glendower and the Tshwane Open at Pretoria Country Club.
“I made two of the three cuts. Playing at such events helped me tremendously. I took everything shot for shot. Playing SLT events, I learnt how to keep cool and not to give up. It’s not over until the ball rattles in the hole,” says Currie.
She added that playing such events had taught her patience – to take her time and think about her shot.
Currie went on to play at the KZN Championships, ending runner-up to Cara Gorlei in the stroke play, and then beat her in the match play.
“I came out on top, beating South Africa’s No 2-ranked player (Gorlei). It was absolutely amazing. I didn’t think I had a chance of beating her. I was the underdog. It was and is the most amazing feeling, and I love telling the story,” said Currie.
She also said as she was down the entire round until the last couple of holes, all she did was play. “Nothing fazed me. I just got on with it and I was more than happy, as this was everything I had been working for. My good golf came out when I needed it to,” she said.
Mentored by swing coach Derek James, Currie balances her time to practice and train regularly, while studying an entrepreneurship course through Boston City Campus in Port Shepstone. She also works at her family-owned business, Qual Chem, which sponsors her golf ambitions.
You can follow Lizzie Currie on Twitter: @ BIGMAC_Lizabeth, or me: @SheetalCross