Slovenia’s Pia Babnik and England’s Esme Hamilton sit tied for the lead on 13 under par going into the final round of the Investec South African Women’s Open at the Royal Cape Golf Club in Cape Town on Saturday, 25 April 2026.
The most challenging day to date of the 2026 championship produced some of the most captivating golf, as the Cape wind arrived after two days of perfect weather and low scoring. Only nine players in the field of 66 were able to shoot under par on the day.
Hamilton shot the joint low round of the day of three-under-par 70 and birdied the last for a share of the lead on 13 under par. Overnight leader Babnik fought a tougher battle with her game on Saturday and signed for a 74 that kept her at the top of the leaderboard.
And England’s Cara Gainer, playing with them, produced a one-under 72 to sit just one shot behind them on 12 under.
The three of them played golf that wasn’t perfect, but which was composed in the challenging conditions.
There were four shots separating these three players at the start of the round, and by the end of Saturday there was only one shot between them and neither of the trio had taken a significant step backwards.
“I felt like we were in a match play situation all day, between the three of us.”
Investec South African Women’s Open Day Runner-Up, Cara Gainer
Hamilton made the most significant climb early on as she opened with three birdies in her first five holes.
“Coming from England, I’m used to some interesting conditions, so it didn’t faze me at all. I was always going to just go out and play my own game. My caddie is from Scotland so he’s very used to it as well, so I used his knowledge of the wind,” she said.
“I feel like my round could’ve been better. My misses were in good spots but I didn’t capitalise on that. I started off playing really well and could’ve been four under through five holes. But I was really happy with how I started the round. The birdie on 18 felt great. It’s nice to finish on a little bit of a high after a testing day.”
Alongside her, Babnik described the conditions as “brutal”.
“My plan today was just to keep my golf ball safe and try and take advantage of the holes where the wind was helping, which wasn’t easy. I think my approaches on the par fives were good today. I’m satisfied with my round because it was absolutely brutal today.”
“Both Esme and Cara played really well so I was just trying to keep up. But I’m really enjoying my game at the moment and just being here.”
Investec South African Women’s Open Day 3 Leader, Pia Babnik
And with heavy rain expected for Sunday, Gainer is expecting another tough round at Royal Cape.
“This course is pretty narrow at the best of times. When you factor in the wind it makes it even trickier. I know the conditions won’t be easy in the final round with rain added in.”
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Caitlyn Macnab is the leading South African on three under par following her round of 75.
Sunday’s final round will be a two-tee start from 7:30am, with SuperSport TV coverage on channel 213 starting at 11am in light of predicted bad weather.
Day 3 Scores at the Investec South African Women’s Open on Saturday, 25 April 2026
206 – Esme Hamilton (ENG) 66 70 70
206 – Pia Babnik (SVN) 65 67 74
207 – Cara Gainer (ENG) 67 68 72
210 – Emma Spitz (AUT) 66 71 73
211 – Anna Huang (CAN) 71 70 70
211 – Meghan MacLaren (ENG) 68 71 72, Brianna Navarrosa (USA) 67 71 73, Anna Morgan (USA) 67 70 74
213 – Lydia Hall (WAL) 69 74 70
214 – Amy Lee (USA) 68 73 73
214 – Madelene Stavnar (NOR) 73 67 74, Alessandra Fanali (ITA) 70 70 74, Maha Haddioui (MAR) 70 70 74, Annabell Fuller (ENG) 71 68 75, Luna Sobron Galmes (ESP) 71 67 76
215 – Sofie Kibsgaard (DEN) 70 73 72
215 – Alexandra Forsterling (GER) 71 72 72, Ana Pelaez Trivino (ESP) 70 72 73, Amelia Garvey (NZL) 71 70 74, Maria Parra (ESP) 71 70 74, Emma Falcher (FRA) 69 71 75, Lisa Pettersson (SWE) 70 69 76, Kajsa Arwefjall (SWE) 69 69 77
216 – Agathe Laisne (FRA) 68 76 72
216 – Justice Bosio (AUS) 70 74 72, Anna Zanusso (ITA) 72 70 74, Anna Foster (IRL) 71 70 75, Caitlyn Macnab 70 71 75, Alice Hewson (ENG) 68 72 76, Diksha Dagar (IND) 68 72 76, Patricia Isabel Schmidt (GER) 63 76 77, Emma Grechi (FRA) 66 73 77, Smilla Tarning Soenderby (DEN) 65 73 78, Darcey Harry (WAL) 71 67 78
217 – Pranavi Urs (IND) 70 73 74
217 – Carolin Kauffmann (GER) 73 70 74, Sara Kouskova (CZE) 75 67 75, Cecilie Finne-Ipsen (DEN) 72 69 76, Thalia Martin (ENG) 72 69 76, Roberta Liti (ITA) 72 68 77
218 – Corinne Viden (SWE) 72 72 74
218 – Celina Sattelkau (GER) 75 69 74, Gabrielle Venter 71 73 74, Olivia Mehaffey (NIR) 72 71 75, Aine Donegan (IRL) 70 72 76, Hannah Screen (ENG) 70 72 76
219 – Fernanda Lira (MEX) 68 76 75
219 – Avani Prashanth (IND) 73 71 75, Gemma Clews (ENG) 73 69 77, Maddison Hinson-Tolchard (AUS) 71 71 77, Tina Mazarino (NOR) 71 71 77, Nobuhle Dlamini (SWZ) 73 69 77, Dorota Zalewska (POL) 70 72 77, Momoka Kobori (NZL) 72 70 77
220 – Kirsten Rudgeley (AUS) 71 73 76
220 – Kiera Floyd 72 72 76, Lois Lau (FRA) 70 74 76, Alexandra Swayne (ISV) 78 66 76, Amaia Latorre (ESP) 71 73 76, Alessia Nobilio (ITA) 66 77 77, Ginnie Ding (HKG) 73 70 77
221 – Lily May Humphreys (ENG) 73 71 77
222 – Lucie Malchirand (FRA) 71 72 79
223 – Luca Thompson (WAL) 70 73 80
225 – Amy Taylor (ENG) 72 72 81
225 – Lisa Coetzer (a) 71 70 84
Missed the cut:-
145 – Morgane Metraux (SUI) 73 72
145 – Camille Chevalier (FRA) 73 72, Harang Lee (ESP) 71 74, Aunchisa Utama (THA) 74 71, Casandra Alexander 70 75, Kelsey Bennett (AUS) 72 73, Lee-Anne Pace 74 71
146 – Agathe Sauzon (FRA) 74 72
146 – Gabriella Cowley (ENG) 73 73, Jess Baker (BRI) 76 70, Vani Kapoor (IND) 75 71, Blanca Fernandez (ESP) 72 74, Dorthea Forbrigd (NOR) 76 70
147 – Cara Gorlei 73 74
147 – April Angurasaranee (THA) 76 71, Vanessa Knecht (SUI) 76 71, Romy Meekers (NED) 74 73, Sanna Nuutinen (FIN) 74 73, Ayako Uehara (JPN) 74 73, Anne-Charlotte Mora (FRA) 75 72
148 – Tvesa Malik (IND) 74 74
148 – Charlotte Heath (ENG) 73 75, Katharina Mühlbauer (AUT) 73 75, Kaiyuree Moodley 75 73, Bobbi Brown 74 74, Nina Pegova (WHT) 73 75, Verena Gimmy (GER) 73 75, Marta Sanz Barrio (ESP) 73 75
149 – Zane Kleynhans 72 77
149 – Hitaashee Bakshi (IND) 72 77, Nadia van der Westhuizen 76 73, Amalie Leth-Nissen (DEN) 78 71, Laura Beveridge (SCO) 77 72
150 – Ana Dawson (IMN) 75 75
150 – Lorna McClymont (SCO) 79 71, Jana Melichova (CZE) 75 75, Tandi McCallum 75 75, Lucie Vachova (CZE) 74 76, Moa Folke (SWE) 77 73, Hannah Burke (ENG) 79 71, Gudrun Bjorgvinsdottir (ISL) 73 77
151 – Marta Martin (ESP) 75 76
151 – Danielle du Toit 73 78, Lora Assad 75 76, Tereza Melecka (CZE) 70 81
152 – Kajal Mistry 74 78
153 – Louise Rydqvist (SWE) 75 78
153 – Jordan Rothman 75 78, Andrea Lignell (SWE) 77 76, Charlotte Millard (a) 78 75
154 – Hannah Darling (SCO) 80 74
154 – Isabella Ferreira (a) 76 78
156 – Symone Henriques 81 75
157 – Patricie Mackova (CZE) 77 80
Original Copy: Michael Vlismas for the Sunshine Ladies Tour, with editing by gsport
Main Photo Caption: Slovenia’s Pia Babnik (pictured) and England’s Esme Hamilton sit tied for the lead on 13 under par going into the final round of the Investec South African Women’s Open at the Royal Cape Golf Club in Cape Town on Saturday, 25 April 2026. All Photos: Sunshine Ladies Tour / Mark Sampson
Photo 2 Caption: Esme Hamilton shot the joint low round of the day of three-under-par 70 and birdied the last for a share of the lead on 13 under par.
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