Gia Raad unfurled three birdies without dropping a shot on the back nine for her three-under-par 69, to seal the top of the leaderboard Thursday at the R&A Africa Amateur Women’s Invitational, at Leopard Creek on Thursday, 6 February, 2025.
The round 2 leader was the only woman under-par, carding a three-under after day two and, with just the final round ahead, was in a good position to push for the win.
She was three shots clear of Bobbi Brown, who had a level-par 72 to remain even for the tournament, and four of GolfRSA’s number one player, Lisa Coetzer, whose three-over 75 put her on one-over.
“I’m really happy! I played some really solid golf. I surprisingly didn’t make a lot of putts today, just the short ones, which was okay, but hopefully tomorrow the longer ones will drop.”
R&A Africa Women’s Invitational Round 2 Overnight Leader, Gia Raad
Raad, who won the English Girls’ Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship at the Caversham Golf Club in 2023, bogeyed the par-four third, but immediately birdied the fourth and she turned in level-par 35. Then she worked the homeward stretch.
“My back nine was pretty good,” she said. “I didn’t make many mistakes. I didn’t really capitalise on the 13th or 15th holes, the short par-fives, though. I had tough drives up there and just didn’t hit them very well.
“For the birdie on 12, I hit a soft gap wedge and I stuck it pretty close, and on the 14th, I also stuck it close with a pitching wedge. I didn’t have a really long shot into 18. I only had 148 and it was downwind and downhill, so I tried to hit a soft eight-iron. It bounced really hard and went just over the green. I hit a good chip and made the short putt.”
For Brown, it was a frustrating day with the putter as she made five birdies and five bogeys for her even-par.
“I’m hitting the ball the best I ever have, but I’m missing about five three-to-four-foot putts in each round.”
GolfRSA International Amateur Champion, Bobbi Brown
“I had 35 putts today and the same yesterday, and both in both rounds, I hit about 16 greens in regulation.
“So I’m going to use my dad’s Scotty Cameron, because mine is too light. I can’t keep it straight on the short ones, so I’m going to practice with my dad’s putter this afternoon.”
First round Leader Coetzer had three birdies, four bogeys and a double-bogey in her second-round 75, and, at one-over ahead of the final round, she has daylight between herself and the rest of the field.
Kenya’s Kanana Muthomi was on nine-under after a 73 in the second round in fourth place, and another Kenyan, Chanelle Mwangi shared fifth with South Africa’s Zane Kleynhans at 10-under after rounds of 81 and 75 respectively.
Original Copy: GolfRSA, with editing by gsport
Main Photo Caption: South African number one Lisa Coetzer leads the field in the Africa Amateur Women’s Invitational after an opening 70 at Leopard Creek, on Wednesday, 5 February, 2025. All Photos Day 1 at the Invitational: GolfRSA
Photo 2 Caption: GolfRSA International Championship winner at Royal Johannesburg, Bobbi Brown, also only had one really bad hole on her scorecard
Photo 3 Caption: South African number one and Day 1 overnight leader Lisa Coetzer carded a 75 for two rounds at 145, four shots behind Raad.
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