Second time lucky as Gorlei bags SA Amateur Championship title

CARA GORLEI rolled in a three-foot putt for birdie on the 18th hole to clinch a one-up victory over fellow US collegiate golfer Jessica Dreesbeimdieke and seal a maiden Sanlam South African Women’s Amateur Championship victory at Stellenbosch Golf Club on Wednesday.

Twelve months previously the 21-year-old from Milnerton had surrendered the lead on the back nine in the final to hand the trophy to Lumien Orton.

“Second time lucky I guess and to hold the trophy aloft is a dream come true ,” said Gorlei who three years ago rolled in a putt from a slightly longer length on the last hole at Royal Cape to deny Gauteng B the laurels and hand the WP Women’s team their first Interprovincial title in more than a decade.

“The experiences of 2016 certainly aided my cause and I feel I’ve earned my stripes; I played in every division of this championship since arriving on the scene in 2011 and had set my sights on one day winning the big one.”

Gorlei was made to fight all the way by a rival who was able to overturn a four and two deficit into a two-up lead with three holes to play.

“Jessica is a mighty opponent and she pushed me all the way. I managed to regroup and go on to seal the deal much to my relief,” Gorlei, who is a student at the University of Arkansas, said.

Her bid for the title started on a positive note when the former GolfRSA Elite Squad player won the seeding round on a count out.

She began her quest for the prized silverware with a crushing six and four second-round win over Elsune Roode from KwaZulu-Natal.

Then, after knocking over Larissa du Preez of Gauteng North four and three, Gorlei booked her place in the semi-finals after edging out Crystal Beukes on her home course at the 19th hole.

She then downed reigning University Sport South Africa champion Sarah Bouch of Ekurhuleni two and one to seal a place in the final.

Namibia’s Dreesbeimdieke booked her place in the final with four wins, three of them easy enough, and the victory over South Africa’s third ranked Zethu Myeki in the semis was eye-catching.

Both finalists made nervy bogey starts, before Gorlei won two of the next three holes to go two-up.

She doubled the advantage after her opponent bogeyed six and seven.

Dreesbeimdieke won eight outright and scored again on the next after Gorlei overshot the green with her tee shot and had to settle for a bogey.

Now two-up at the turn, Gorlei could only watch as her rival levelled matters through 11.

“She won five successive holes and just like that, the match was squared,” said Gorlei.

“And then I fell behind after she birdied 12 and then went two-down following a drop at 15.

“I managed to birdie 16 to cut the deficit to one, then tied matters after she bogeyed 17.

“We both found the 18th in regulation and I must say that I turned my back on the approach that I thought was heading for the water hazard, but I hear it pitched on the hole and ended three feet away.

“Then for the putt to win it and when it dropped in the feeling I had was hard to describe.

“Congrats to Jessica, she came very close. I’ve played college tournaments with her and saw how good she was.”

Gorlei returns to the States in August and in two years’ time will decide on whether to hit the professional ranks.