The recent Ladies European Tour graduate was level at the turn, but then her ‘Oven Putter’ heated up and she scorched the back nine at Glendower in 31 strokes.
Nicole notched three birdies and an eagle-three at the 15th to put a useful three-stroke cushion between herself and defending champion Ashleigh Simon, four-time European Tour winner Rebecca Hudson from Britain and reigning Sanlam SA Women’s Amateur champion, Ivanna Samu.
“I guess the putter is like any typical oven, it just needed some time to warm up,” said Nicole.
The putter in question was specifically designed for Nicole by Nike during the 2014 US Women’s Open, but she never used it.
The 24-year-old Ebotse player threw the putter in the bag when she left for Morocco in December last year, though, and it served her equally well at the Ladies European Tour’s Q-School.
She won the First Stage Qualifier and earned full privileges for 2015 with a fifth place finish at Final Stage.
Nicole hit it close on 11 and tapped in for a birdie, boxed a 20-footer at the par-five 13th for another gain and hit a drive and a four-iron to three feet and rolled in the putt for eagle at 15.
She drained a two-footer at the 16th for birdie number three before she parred her way home.
Ashleigh Simon, a former pupil at Holy Rosary School and honorary life member of the Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club, is taking a three-week break from the LPGA Tour to support the Sunshine Ladies Tour.
The 25-year-old only arrived on home soil on Wednesday and was a little frustrated after five birdies and three drops at her home course.
“I felt it should have been better, but I am glad I made those birdies coming home to finish under par,” said Ashleigh, a three-time winner in the Chase to the Investec Cup for Ladies last season.
“I felt fine at the start of the round, but I hit a wall midway down the back nine. I am only three off the pace, so I will be ready to challenge after a good night’s rest.”
The Sun International Ladies Challenge and Chase to the Investec Cup for Ladies at Glendower forms part of the seven-leg Sunshine Ladies Tour, which culminates from March 20-22 with the end-of-season Investec Cup for Ladies, which boasts a R100 000 prize fund and R600 000 bonus pool.
