Playing what she described as “flawless golf”, Casandra Alexander fired a superb six-under-par 66 on Saturday to finish on 12-under-par overall and win the R1.2-million Absa Ladies Invitational by four strokes at Serengeti Estates on Saturday.
The 24-year-old had begun the final day tied for the lead with fellow South African Kiera Floyd but Alexander went out in 34 before a brilliant back nine saw her collect an eagle and two birdies to romp to victory.
While Floyd struggled to a 77 on Saturday and finished 11 strokes behind, Alexander’s closest challenger was Spaniard Harang Lee, who also shot a 66 to finish on eight-under-par.
“It was definitely very close to flawless golf. I played unbelievably well and I am really happy,” Alexander said after her fifth Sunshine Ladies Tour title. “I had one or two drops early on which was maybe a bit of nerves but I must have had 10-15-foot putts and I just couldn’t miss the first few.
“So I just tried to give myself birdie opportunities and I did manage to sink a few more. I played smart, but still aggressively and had a hot putter. Everything was solid, I hot my irons really well.”
Next week Alexander will defend her Jabra Ladies Classic title at Glendower and then follows six consecutive weeks of European Tour action, including two co-sanctioned events in South Africa.
“I’m going to take a lot of confidence into Glendower, I’m hitting the ball well and that is a ball-striker’s course. And then it’s the two co-sanctioned events. I have a lot of events coming up, eight weeks in a row, and hopefully I can hit the ball even better and make more putts. I will carry this win with me,” Alexander said.
Her eagle on the 483m par-five 11th came after a superb four-iron over the flag.
“I kept missing my drives slightly left, so I decided to hit a little cut off the tee and hit an unbelievable drive. I then hit a grip-down four-iron 185 metres into the wind, another little cut and I hit it flush straight at the pin. I told it to sit down and it pitched five metres behind, leaving me with a 15-foot putt for eagle.
“That kind of separated myself, allowed the nerves to settle. I just played smart from there, I didn’t need to do anything crazy. I held things together well, it was all really tidy and I had two lip-outs in the last three holes,” Alexander said.
The Johannesburger backed up her eagle with birdies at the 12th and 15tgh holes, and then her challengers were spent.
South Africa’s Cara Gorlei also shot a 66 to finish third on five-under-par, with compatriot Stacy Bregman fourth on four-under after a 69.
SCORES
204 - Casandra Alexander 68 70 66
208 - Harang Lee (ESP) 73 69 66
211 - Cara Gorlei 73 72 66
212 - Stacy Bregman 70 73 69
214 - Tereza Melecka (CZE) 72 75 67, Carolin Kauffmann (GER) 72 72 70
215 - Lee-Anne Pace 70 71 74, Kiera Floyd 67 71 77
216 - Tandi McCallum 76 70 70, Bonita Bredenhann (NAM) 73 70 73
217 - Romy Meekers (NED) 75 73 69, Ariane Klotz (FRA) 72 77 68, Lenanda van der Watt 73 73 71, Anne-Lise Caudal (FRA) 74 71 72, Zethu Myeki 72 72 73
218 - Linette Holmslykke (DEN) 72 74 72, Tvesa Malik (IND) 72 72 74
219 - Hanna Tauber (GER) 75 70 74, Jane Turner (SCO) 74 77 68
220 - Danielle du Toit 74 73 73, Nina Pegova (WHT) 72 77 71, Nicole Garcia 72 77 71, Lora Assad 74 76 70, Isabella van Rooyen 72 72 76
221 - Florentyna Parker (ENG) 72 75 74, Tina Mazarino (NOR) 76 71 74, Verena Gimmy (GER) 72 73 76, Ellen Hutchinson-Kay (SWE) 72 72 77, Katharina Keilich (GER) 77 74 70
222 - Gabriella Cowley (ENG) 81 68 73, Ridhima Dilawari (IND) 74 73 75, Alexandra Swayne (ISV) 74 76 72
223 - Gina Da Silva (a) 77 72 74
224 - Judith van der Voort (NED) 77 72 75, Emie Peronnin (FRA) 74 76 74
225 - Kelsey Nicholas 72 79 74, Lauren Taylor (ENG) 78 73 74
227 - Michelle Forsland (NOR) 73 76 78, Kaylan Boshoff 77 73 77, Lindi Coetzee 75 76 76, Michelle Leigh 73 79 75
229 - Ivanna Samu 78 74 77
234 - Tara Griebenow 70 82 82
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