Bregman Champions Harsh Greens

South African, Stacy Bregman
takes charge with a two shot lead after the first round of the Pam Golding
Ladies International on the Ladies African Tour being played at the Nelspruit
Golf Club. "I seemed
to sink all the putts on the difficult holes today, and missed the short
ones!" said a very happy Bregman after her opening round on Thursday. 

The heat was unbearable for most players, except for the
leader Bregman who played a solid best round for a score of 68 to go -4 under
par for the tournament. Bregman’s first birdie fell on the par three 3^rd
hole, only to miss a back-to-back birdie chance on the following par five 5^th
hole, where she was on the green in two, only to three-putt for par.

The only bogey of the day for Bregman came on the par four
6^th hole. After her tee shot went into the rough, she managed to
chip out, but then fell short only to see her ball lip out for a par on this
hole. Her luck changed when she had a near eagle opportunity on the 9^th
hole to turn on -2 under.

"The course can be quite punishing. The greens are only
five months old, so they are not as smooth as you would like them to be", said
Bregman who played a steady back nine.  Carding a further two birdies,
Bregman finished two shots clear of fellow South African Morgana Robbertze.

Robbertze also felt that the tough course played its part. "Besides
being extremely hot today, you have to play really smartly. This course is
tougher than the last two weeks on tour," said a weary Robbertze.

Robbertze started off the 10^th tee, and bogeyed
the first two holes. She managed to settle a little when she sank a
fifteen footer on the par four 15^th hole for her first birdie of the
day.

On the 16^th, she drove her tee shot into the
rough on the right of the fairway. Although her second shot was a good low one
out from under the trees, she pulled her chip a little, and carded a further
bogey.

Just before the turn on the par-three 17^th,
Robbertze hit a good approach shot and holed a brilliant thirty footer to turn
+1 over par. Still a bit shaky from a stomach bug, Robbertze seems to settle
her game after the turn. Taking a seven iron approach shot, she just missed an
eagle opportunity on the par five 1^st hole. 

She then had good putts on both the 4^th and 5^th
holes to claim her final birdies of the day for a score of 70, -2 under par for
the tournament. Leading amateur after the first round is Gauteng’s Tandi von Ruben who carded a 73,
+1 over par, just one shot clear of defending champion Lee-Anne Pace.

The second round of the Pam Golding Ladies International
gets underway at the Nelspruit Golf Club from 11h00 tomorrow.  Entrance is
free.