Lewthwaite claims win on her return home
Lejan Lewthwaite shrugged off a poor season abroad, coming home to claim a solid play-off win in the Standard Bank Pro-Am Invitational at Randpark Golf Club on October 26.
The Standard Bank Pro-Am Invitational is the final order of merit event for the professionals and comes at the back of an eight-tournament pro-am series that was played at venues across Gauteng from March, with the eighth tournament played at Randpark on Monday.
The series was launched early last year but could not be played due to the outbreak of Covid-19, but with the restrictions loosened and with health protocols in place, the series finally teed off at Killarney Country Club in March.
“It’s good to be back home and playing good golf again,” said Lewthwaite.
“I haven’t had a very good year overseas, so it’s really nice to be back home and playing decent golf again. What Standard Bank has done for us is huge; another corporate coming to support ladies golf is massive for the growth of the sport and the development of women’s golf.
“I know I missed a few of these tournaments because I was overseas but as soon as I was able to come home, I made sure I was available to play, and I’m so glad I did.”
Tuesday’s event came at the back of the eighth tournament of the Standard Bank Pro-Am Series, which was also played on the Firethorn layout at Randpark. Nobuhle Dlamini, who is also the Standard Bank Golf Development ambassador, and Ivanna Samu shared victory there since there was no play-off for the pro-am.
That was Dlamini’s second win, while being Samu’s fourth in the series.
“It feels really good to win the last series event. It was under tough conditions but fun,” said Dlamini.
“It’s been a great initiative from Standard Bank. I’ve seen it from the beginning, the growth that has happened so far is tremendous.
“From children learning to play to pros surviving and taking their career further through the Standard Bank-sponsored events. There’s so much positivity around the events, it can only get better.”
Having won four events and the order of merit prize after a difficult two years of struggling with health problems, Samu said, “Without faith, I wouldn’t be here today. Being alone in the hospital and not knowing what tomorrow brings, my faith, my family and my closest friend knew what I had to go through. It’s been a ride, but we made it.”
The Standard Bank Pro-Am Series is aimed at driving the development of female golfers from the grassroots level while also empowering talented professionals by creating more playing opportunities for them to keep their competitive edge while making a living in the process.
