Three weeks earlier, 29-year-old Lee Anne Pace, born and bred in Mossel Bay, won her maiden tournament on the Ladies’ European Tour, the Deutsche Bank Ladies’ Swiss Open at Golf Gerre Losone.
The event was the third biggest on the tour and after trailing by two shots going into the last day, Pace made several birdies to go into the lead and stay there with a total of -12 after rounds of 69, 67 and 68.
In the press conference she was asked how it felt to win.
"It’s great, I can’t stop smiling. My lips hurt, my cheeks hurt, but it’s awesome."
The victory which came with a winner’s cheque of more than ZAR 800 000 propelled Pace into second spot on the money list.
She works with Val Holland, golf director at Kingswood, during the off season and has asked Holland to come over for the Ladies’ British Open at Royal Birkdale.
Another Southern Cape resident, though strictly speaking not born and bred here but having lived here for 20 years, is John Bland.
Last year, the Fancourt resident surprised everyone by becoming the second oldest player ever to win a tournament on an officially recognised professional tour by capturing the Swiss Senior Open title at Bad Ragaz at the age of 63 years and 10 months.
At the recent Wales Senior Open, which was played the same weekend as the Swiss Ladies’, John Bland claimed yet another European Senior Tour title with a one shot victory at Royal Porthcawl.
He carded a one under par 71 in the final round, seeing off Paraguayan Angel Franco in dramatic fashion.
The pair was neck and neck at eight under after 16 holes, but Franco, three groups ahead of Bland, bogeyed the 18th and then the South African birdied the par five 17th to give himself some breathing space coming up the last.
It proved crucial as Bland found a bunker from the 18th tee and ended up with a bogey, but enough to finish up at the top of the leader board.
Bland, who fired three birdies and an eagle to make it a second successive South African winner in this event following Bertus Smit, another Southern Cape resident, said: "The course was very tricky today but I handled it well and did every-thing right. The key to it was to get the right club. Sometimes you can’t believe how far the ball is going on this course.
"This is one of the finest links courses in the world. There’s not a bad hole on the course, it’s magnificent. It’s been a great week and I’m delighted to round it off by winning."
The victory was made even more special by having wife and Southern Cape Ladies’ squad member, Sonja, on the bag. She has caddied for John on his trips to Europe the last couple of years and - they are still married!
Both Oosthuizen and Pace played in the Southern Cape teams, honing their skills and gaining valuable experience here.
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John and Sonja Bland on the golf course.
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Louis Oosthuizen and Ernie Els (left) pictured with Southern Cape junior golfers.
