Pace races clear of the field for another title Pace races clear of the field for another title

LEE-ANNE Pace thrilled the crowd with a grandstand finish at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club to reel in her seventh consecutive Ladies Tour title with victory in the Ladies Joburg Open yesterday.

The Pearl Valley golfer edged into the lead on 10-under with a birdie at the 10th hole on the West Course, but Bertine Strauss – playing behind her in the final group – birdied 15 to grab a share of the lead.

Pace shifted into high gear and showed the nerves and composure of a true champion.

She boxed a 12-footer for birdie at 17 and lagged a 30 meter eagle putt to an inch from the cup at 18. She tapped tap in for birdie and a final round six-under-par 66 to claim a five stroke victory on 12-under-par 204.

Strauss bogeyed the last three holes for a 72 to take second, while first round leader Ashleigh Simon’s 72 handed her third on 210.

Swaziland’s Nobuhle Dlamini, Monique Smit and Stacy Bregman tied for fourth on 211 after posting respective rounds of 73, 69 and 67.

Pace started the final round a stroke off the pace from Strauss and tied for second with Kim Williams, Dlamini and Simon.

She reeled off a hat-trick of birdies from the second, and erased a bogey at the fifth with birdie at nine to start the back nine at nine-under with a one stroke lead over Strauss and two shots ahead of Simon.

“Ashleigh played really well and birdied the 11th and 13th to tie me at 10 -under, but I had no idea what Bertine was doing,” Pace said.

“Ash dropped a few shots, but I heard that Bertine was 10-under playing 15 when we got to the 17th tee box. There was every chance that she could birdie the par-five. I had my coach James Petts on the bag this week and I said to him we better step it up.

“I hit a great shot into 17 and when I saw the line, I told James I had this. I knew the putt would drop. I must admit, I felt the pressure at 18, but James cracked a joke that broke the tension.”