Benoni’s Macnab flies the flag high, even in stormy weather
Macnab will be better for the experience,
Benoni golfer Caitlyn Macnab’s run in the Girls British Open Amateur ended with a third-round exit at Ardglass Golf Club in Ireland on August 17 when the 16-year-old was eliminated by Sophie Johnson from England.
Macnab started the stroke play qualifier at the 90th edition of the prestigious junior event at the famous Country Down links alongside GolfRSA Elite Squad team-mate Kajal Mistry.
Both players finished among the leading 64 players who made the match play stage.
Mistry carded rounds of 73 and 77 to tie for 31st.
Macnab shot 74 in the first round and rocketed to joint third on one-over 141 with the low round of the tournament, a three-under 67.
Martha Lewis from England defeated Mistry 2 and 1 in the first round, but Macnab was in magnificent form on a testing day and scored two decisive victories to reach the final 16.
She beat Leah Temple-Lang from Ireland 3 and 1 in round one and defeated Celeste Dao from Canada 4 and 2 in round two.
The Serengeti golfer faced Johnson just as Storm Debbie hit the east coast of Ireland early on Friday morning.
“It was the worst weather we experienced since arriving in Ireland,” said Women’s Golf South Africa president Sally Greasley.
“We could barely walk on some holes and it was hard to watch the girls battle the driving rain and the gale force wind that was raging up to 80 km per hour.
“We gave up on our umbrellas because the struts were bent in minutes.
“We even had to get Cat an electric cart, because she just couldn’t pull her cart in the wind.
Johnson clinched the match 5 and 4.
Macnab was understandably disappointed but recognised the value of experience.
“Our first goal was to reach the match play stage and we were both over the moon to make the top 64 in an international championship of this stature,” said Macnab.
“The wind was a serious factor on the first day of the match play, but I managed to get around really well to win the first two matches.
“The third round was truly an ordeal.
“It was incredibly tough to control the ball in the howling wind and rain.
“I am very proud of the fact that I never stopped fighting.
“This was the first time for Kajal and I to play a true links course and it was an absolute eye-opener.
“Every shot we played in this championship was experience that will help us in the future.”
Macnab and Mistry will make their debut for South Africa in the Espirito Santo Trophy at the World Amateur Team Championship at the end of August alongside former South African number one Kaleigh Telfer, who has just started her second season at Auburn University.
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