De Roey battles wind to lead Investec SA Womens Open

On a day when the clouds came billowing over the Helderberg mountain range and gusts of wind ripped across the fairways of the Erinvale Country and Golf Estate, Belgium’s Manon De Roey held her nerve and produced a magnificent five-under-par 67 to lead the Investec South African Women’s Open heading into the weekend.

Manon De Roey. Credit: (Photo by Heinrich Helmbold/Sunshine Tour)

De Roey came through a challenging day at the top of the leaderdboard on eight under par overall, one stroke clear of England’s Rosie Davies who signed for a 71. Stacy Bregman is the leading South African on one under par in this Sunshine Ladies Tour and Ladies European Tour co-sanctioned tournament.

De Roey certainly showed no signs of being at all intimidated by the windy conditions as she birdied three of her first four holes.

“In that start I was trying to putt without the gusts. You could hear them coming so I tried to time it between the gusts. Some of those birdies were long putts and unexpected but I’ll take them,” said De Roey, who has had a strong season thus far with four top-10s in her last eight tournaments. She came into this week with a fifth-place finish in the Joburg Ladies Open.

But it was a tournament in Saudi Arabia earlier this year which she says may have given her the edge at Erinvale on Friday.

“It was really tough out there, but I had something similar at the beginning of the year in a tournament in Saudi Arabia, which was also very windy. So maybe that helped me for this week. I just tried to stay patient and pick my lines off the tee well, and have the wind as my friend.

“When it’s windy like this I feel like I’m always more focused. You just have to stay patient because I know it’s possible to shoot low scores in wind like this. Maybe I need the wind on the weekend.”

Just one shot behind her, England’s Davies was equally delighted to have come through a tough day with a shot at one of the most historic titles in South African women’s golf.

“Starting my round on the back nine with the wind at its peak was tough. I just kept my head down and focusing on the next shot. I dropped shots on the back nine but I’d told myself I was probably going to face some adversity today and how I respond to that is what I need to focus on,” she said.

And Davies certainly responded well after those dropped shots as she closed out her round with three straight birdies.

“It was an exhausting day and that finish has given me a bit of energy. I’m excited for the weekend now. We’ll probably get more wind so anything can happen out there. I’ll just keep my head down and see where we end up on Sunday.” – Michael Vlismas.

SCORES:

136 - Manon De Roey (BEL) 69 67

137 - Rosie Davies (ENG) 66 71

139 - Lisa Pettersson (SWE) 68 71, Annabell Fuller (ENG) 68 71, Momoka Kobori (NZL) 69 70

140 - Hannah Burke (ENG) 68 72, Ines Laklalech (MAR) 70 70, Julie Boysen Hillestad (NOR) 67 73, Eleanor Givens (ENG) 69 71

141 - Kim Metraux (SUI) 70 71, Gabriella Cowley (ENG) 69 72, Liz Young (ENG) 68 73, Madelene Stavnar (NOR) 70 71, Elena Moosmann (SUI) 66 75

142 - Lily May Humphreys (ENG) 73 69, Gemma Clews (ENG) 74 68, Patricia Isabel Schmidt (GER) 71 71, Carolin Kauffmann (GER) 71 71

143 - Jana Melichova (CZE) 69 74, Sara Kjellker (SWE) 70 73, April Angurasaranee (THA) 72 71, Diksha Dagar (IND) 73 70, Katja Pogacar (SVN) 71 72, Stacy Bregman 72 71, Christine Wolf (AUT) 69 74

144 - Caroline Hedwall (SWE) 71 73, Nastasia Nadaud (FRA) 68 76, Bronte Law (ENG) 68 76, Hannah Screen (ENG) 71 73, Virginia Elena Carta (ITA) 70 74, Romy Meekers (NED) 70 74, Emily Penttila (FIN) 72 72, Aunchisa Utama (THA) 70 74, Danielle du Toit 74 70

145 - Mireia Prat (ESP) 70 75, Fernanda Lira (MEX) 75 70, Dorthea Forbrigd (NOR) 72 73, Sofie Kibsgaard (DEN) 73 72, Chiara Tamburlini (SUI) 70 75, Nicole Garcia 76 69

146 - Celine Herbin (FRA) 70 76, Sanna Nuutinen (FIN) 71 75, Tiffany Arafi (SUI) 73 73, Laura Fuenfstueck (GER) 76 70, Sofie Bringner (SWE) 74 72, Kristyna Napoleaova (CZE) 71 75, Sarah Schober (AUT) 70 76, Lora Assad 73 73

147 - Olivia Mehaffey (NIR) 79 68, Lee-Anne Pace 68 79, Shannon Tan (SIN) 69 78, Anne-Charlotte Mora (FRA) 76 71, Moa Folke (SWE) 75 72, Lydia Hall (WAL) 71 76, Tara Griebenow 75 72

148 - Tereza Melecka (CZE) 77 71, Genevieve Ling (MAS) 73 75, Alice Hewson (ENG) 74 74, Casandra Alexander 73 75, Emma Grechi (FRA) 74 74, Amy Taylor (ENG) 73 75, Alexandra Swayne (ISV) 69 79, Georgina Blackman (ENG) 76 72, Kylie Henry (SCO) 71 77, Emma Spitz (AUT) 73 75

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