Strauss took top honours after holing a very long putt on the 18th to avoid a playoff with Eastern Cape’s Tanya Tibshraeny, the defending SA under-16 Junior Champion.
The North West teenager went into the final round as the overnight leader and was unfazed by Tibshraeny’s chase with a low round 72 for the day.
Tibschraeny, who started playing at 12, is lying 11th on the Junior Order of Merit, and will improve a few places and put herself in contention for selection during the year.
Strauss’ most memorable tournament was played in 2006 at the Royal and Ancient Junior Open Championships when she won the Under 14 Championship for Boys and Girls, came 4th in the Under 16 Boys and Girls Championship, and finished 2nd in the overall Girls’ event.
Her focus and dedication is admired by everyone who comes in contact with her, and many predict she will be the next amateur star, following in the footsteps of her role model Ashleigh Simon, who turned pro earlier this year.
The championship played at Middleburg GC earlier this week under cold and trying conditions proved to be a great test of character and commitment to these young juniors fighting to secure their berth in the top ten.
This year’s field had 141 players, an additional 32 entrants from last year, making it the biggest junior girls’ event in its history.
The annual championship, run by Womens Golf South Africa (WGSA), showcased the best young talent in the country.There were twenty players under the age of 13 with the youngest, Gauteng’s Eleanor Galetti (9) playing off a 23 handicap, no stranger to competitive rounds.
Forty players are in the 14-15 age group, playing off handicaps from 0 to 33.A large number of the entrants are from programmes run by the South African Golf Development Board (SAGDB), highlighting the progress development is enjoying in the country and the support it receives from the ladies golf associations.
While the championship is the most prestigious event on the girls golfing calendar, it is also an opportunity for many female golfers to compete under tournament conditions. T
he championship division was contested between girls with handicaps of nine or lower, but anyone with a handicap of 33 or better was welcome to play in the other divisions at the event.
These juniors have already been exposed to competitive tournaments as thirty of them already represent their individual provinces and will continue to play competitive golf until they decide to pursue their studies at American colleges or turn professional.
2007 NOMADS GIRLS’ GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP
MIDDELBURG COUNTRY CLUB
SCORES AFTER ROUND 2
2 – 3 JULY 2007 – CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION
150 – Bertine Strauss (Nw) 75 75
151 – Tanya Tibshraeny (Ec) 79 72
152 – Dominique Jacobs (Wp) 78 74
153 – Monique Smit (Sc) 80 73 Jenna Schonfeld (Gau) 78 75
154 – Eugenie Clack (Gn) 80 74 Gina Switala (Gn) 81 73
156 – Connie Chen (Gn) 82 74
157 – Rone Minie (Gn) 77 80
158 – Bonita Bredenhann (Nam) 81 77
159 – Stacey Rohwer (Kzn) 84 75 Hermine Greyling (Bol) 82 77
160 – Chloe Garner (Bol) 79 81
161 – Yolanda Duma (Bor) 83 78 Larissa Ras (Gau) 82 79
162 – Yushira Budhram (Gau) 82 80
163 – Sheila Miao (Gau) 85 78
165 – Landi Venter (Wp) 85 80
167 – Alra van den Berg (Mp) 85 82 Tijana Kraljrvic (Gau) 86 81 Lauren Bekker (Gau) 86 81
168 – Zina Bheekie (Kzn) 86 82
170 – Simone Burger (Gau) 93 77 Rushda Mallick (Wp) 91 79 Lucy Lo (Wp) 89 81
171 – Nadia Esterhuyse (Gau) 82 89
172 – Nicole Garcia (Gau) 90 82 Wasimah Mallick (Wp) 87 85
173 – Amy Henning (Wp) 88 85
174 – Lara Weinstein (Gau) 84 90 Kirsten Kloppers (Gau) 89 85 Marcia van Wyk (Sc) 88 86
177 – Natasha Swanepoel (Gau) 93 84 Biance Barnard (Gau) 90 87
178 – Wan Ling Tsai (Gau) 92 86 Chantelle Hefer (Gn) 89 89
179 – Michelle Leigh (Gau) 96 83
181 – Talia Nel (Gau) 96 85
182 – Hybre Davids (Bol) 97 85
186 – Megan Bisset (Lim) 95 91
2007 NOMADS GIRLS’ GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP
MIDDELBURG COUNTRY CLUB
SCORES AFTER ROUND 2
2 – 3 JULY 2007 – 10 – 18 H/C DIVISION
165 – Leanke Vlok (Bol) 82 83
166 – Izel PIeters (Mp) 88 78
167 – Enge Knoetze (Bol) 85 82 Kim Daniels (Ec) 83 84
170 – Linelle Visagie (Mp) 85 85
171 – Rochelle Brooks (Mp) 88 83
173 – Kayla Wilkins (Bol) 87 86 Cagney Allison (Kzn) 84 89
174 – Maryke Short (Nam) 94 80
175 – Nadine Venter (Gau) 90 85 Madelein Robberts (Gau) 87 88
176 – Lize de Villiers (Lim) 88 88
178 – Candice Wort (Gau) 92 86 Kelly Erasmus (Wp) 96 82
179 – Claudia Redinger (Kzn) 90 89 Miche de Pradienes (Lim) 89 90 Katlego Mhlambi (Gau) 93 86 Lynn Marie Nagel (Lim) 83 96
180 – Shannon Verwey (Gn) 90 90
181 – Nadia Taljaard (Nw) 99 82 Ayabonga Roji (Bor) 92 89
182 – Kelly Cyster (Bol) 92 90 Christine Davis (Mp) 95 87
183 – Licia Spalletta (Bol) 90 93 Zanele Dlamini (Gau) 96 87 Rozanne van der Walt (Mp) 94 89 Marna de Langen (Mp) 94 89 Judy Papenfus (Bor) 93 90
184 – Daniela Viotti (Wp) 89 95
185 – Phelokazi Jabe (Bor) 93 92
186 – Bea van Aswegen (Gau) 98 88 Marguerite Pienaar (Sc) 95 91 Chanelle Thomson (Gn) 93 93
187 – Heather Todt (Wp) 92 95 Shana Minne (Gau) 91 96 Courtney Tuck (Gau) 91 96
188 – Viwe Banzi (Bor) 99 89 Christine Swart (Ec) 97 91 Amanda Mngxongo (Wp) 93 95
190 – Sinethemba Gomo (Wp) 97 93
191 – Heather Maile (Wp) 89 102 Letitia Brink (Nam) 96 95
192 – Chanel Reilly (Gau) 93 99
195 – Astrid Rabany (Gau) 97 98
198 – Gladys Modie (Gau) 96 102
199 – Neo Tlapu (Gau) 102 97
202 – Siphokazi Qeliso (Bor) 101 101
204 – Emelia Coetzer (Wp) 110 94 Andiswa Tayo (Bor) 100 104
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