Start of the season update

2024 has got off to a good start, with a lot of firsts for me already. I was fortunate enough to spend all of January in Dubai practicing and preparing for the season, which I think set me up in the best possible way to get the season started. I spent most of my time at Dubai Creek Golf Club, after having such a great time at the golf day put on by IFGL back in November. 

I then flew from Dubai to Kenya at the start of February for my first event of the season, the Magical Kenya Ladies Open on the Ladies European Tour. After making the cut on the number last year, it was nice to see how much I have improved by making the cut in 11th place this year, playing in one of the final featured groups on Saturday. Although I didn’t play the weekend as strongly as I would have liked, it was amazing to gain this new experience at just my first event back and play with some of the best players on the tour.  

I then flew to South Africa to play at the Ladies Sunshine Tour season (South African women’s tour). It was my first time playing on the Sunshine Tour, and with their first event being their strongest of the season and me having no status from last year, I was fortunate enough to receive an invite to play. I was extremely happy to take full advantage of this invite, by taking the round 1 lead in very wet and windy conditions. 

Round 2, I continued to play well and held the lead by 2 shots heading into the final round. Having the lead going into the final round of a professional tournament was something new to me, and getting to the first tee with all the cameras was also fairly new and slightly nerve wracking! I played well the front 9 and remained in the lead by 1 shot but unfortunately struggled on the greens on the back 9 and finished in a tie for 3rd. 

To be in the lead for 50 holes of the tournament was an amazing experience and I’m sure it will stand me in much better stead next time I am in that position. The tournament was played alongside the Challenge Tour and with amateurs in a pro am. I did manage to win the pro am with my partner by 6 shots which was really good fun! 

Off the back of this performance I am continuing to play on the Sunshine Tour until April where hopefully I will qualify into the two ladies European tour events in Johannesburg and Cape Town to add to my LET schedule.