Ivanna Sanu claims 3rd victory
RUIMSIG - The Sanlam SA Women's Amateur Championships finished off on a high note for Ivanna Samu.
Ivanna Samu claimed her third victory this year – and by far the biggest – when she won the Sanlam South African Women’s Amateur Championship at Ruimsig Country Club on 6 August.
Samu beat Lora Assad 2 and1 in the final.
“I’m over the moon. When I realised it, I just started crying. It means so much to me,” said Samu, who was always one of the favourites playing her home course.
Samu made it through to the final with a 1 Up victory over Pretoria’s Ruzanne van der Walt, while Assad went through with a 2 and 1 victory over Eleanora Galletti.
Samu started strong in the final and was 5 Up through seven holes. Assad started to find her stroke on the greens and won three of the next four holes to close the gap to only 2 Down. But Samu held on for the biggest win of her career.
“When I was 5 Up I wasn’t thinking too much about that. I just wanted to keep playing my own game. And then Lora started holing a few putts and mine started missing. But my brother and caddie did a great job of keeping me focused on playing the golf course and not my opponent. He really kept me in the game,” Samu said.
In the Plate Final, Western Province’s Cara Gorlei beat Jamie-Lee Daniels 7 and 6.
This was one of the strongest fields in recent history in the Sanlam SA Women’s Amateur Championship.
And according to Gary van Loggerenberg, Sanlam sponsorship manager, the growth of women’s golf is a positive reflection of their long-term sponsorship of the game.
“This is all about creating a platform for our rising stars and investing in the youth of South Africa, and long may that continue,” he said.
Results from the Sanlam SA Women’s Amateur Championship, played at the par-72 Ruimsig Country Club
Championship Finals
Ivanna Samu beat Lora Assad 2 and 1.
Plate Finals
Cara Gorlei beat Jamie-Lee Daniels 7 and 6.
Championship: 3rd and 4th Place Playoff
Eleonora Galletti beat Ruzanne van der Walt 1 Up.
Plate 3rd and 4th Place Playoff
Jhanelle Strydom lost to Stephanie Perkins 4 and 3.
Championship Semi-Finals
Eleonora Galletti lost to Lora Assad 2 and 1; Ivanna Samu beat Ruzanne van der Walt 1 Up.
Plate Semi-Finals
Jhanelle Strydom lost to Jamie-Lee Daniels 20th Hole; Stephanie Perkins lost to Cara Gorlei 5 and 3.
