Strauss shows class at Ekurhuleni Championships

Former SA number one golfer Bertine Strauss proved she is still a force to be reckoned with, when she came from behind to steal victory in the Ekurhuleni 54-Hole Stroke Play Championship, recently.

The 21-year-old dominated the local amateur scene for many years until she took up a golf scholarship at the University of Texas, in August, 2011.

The psychology student just couldn’t resist the temptation to test herself against South Africa’s top ranked amateurs during her summer break home.

Strauss signalled her intentions with an opening 73 in Benoni, to trail pacesetter Kim Williams by one shot, and stayed within one of the South African number two with another 73 in the second round.

However, while Williams battled to an 80 in the frosty conditions and high winds that greeted the field in Monday’s final round, Strauss closed with a three-over-par 75, to win by three shots on five-over-par 221.

Lara Weinstein, fresh from a sixth place finish at the RB German Junior, snuck past Williams to finish in second with rounds of 76-72-76.

Strauss has kept her spot on the Women’s Golf South Africa Elite Squad by playing in events when she was home from college in the last two years, and once again enjoyed the experience, despite the tough scoring conditions.

“I like to stay competitive, even when I’m on a break, and this tournament really got the juices flowing again, before I fly back to the United States to start my third year,” said Strauss.

“I played the Ebotse Links once before and remembered it as a challenging course, but the cold weather really made it tough on us, especially into the wind on Monday; it was easily a two to three club wind.”

Strauss said that, during both rounds on Sunday, she hit a driver at the par-four 16th and had 65m left to the pin.

“On Monday, I hit driver, three-wood and just reached the front edge,” she said.

“When the ground is hard already and the wind blows, control and patience are key to this course.”

The petite golfer was thrilled to see how much her mental game has improved, too.

“I was three down after a bogey at the second and a double-bogey at the third and, two years ago, that would have been the tournament for me.

“Playing the college circuit, I have learned to tough it out.

“Now I don’t give up; I grind my way around the course and try to pick up a few birdies to give myself a fighting chance — and that’s what I did on Monday.”

Strauss remedied the situation with three birdies before the turn and dropped two shots coming home.

“I was really not playing to my potential, but it was good to see that, even when I’m rusty, I can still be competitive,” she said.

“That’s why I want to encourage the juniors to think about college golf before they turn pro. The experience you gain from playing the college circuit is invaluable.”

Adele Beytell carded rounds of 93-83-86 to win the B-division for handicaps 10-18, with a total of 262, while Teagan Lubbe beat Naledi Qubu in a count-out on 62 points, to win the C-division for handicaps 19-36.