Serengeti’s Caitlyn wins Nomads SA Girls Championship
“I have dreamed of winning the Nomads SA Girls since I first teed up as a seven-year-old.”
South Africa’s number one-ranked Caitlyn Macnab lived up to her star billing when she celebrated her 10th start in the Nomads SA Girls Championship with a trophy finish on July 2.
The 17-year-old from Serengeti Estates carded a final round one-under-par 71 to edge out fellow Ekurhuleni golfer Kiera Floyd by one stroke on four-over 220, lifting the title and the ultimate prize it carries – a start in the Duke of York Young Champions Trophy in September.
GolfRSA Junior Proteas Macnab, Floyd and Kaiyuree Moodley claimed a sixth place finish in the Toyota Junior Golf World Cup two weeks ago.
“I have dreamed of winning the Nomads SA Girls since I first teed up as a seven-year-old. It’s the most amazing feeling to be the champion; I am just over the moon. I was really nervous on the first day, because I hadn’t hit a ball for nine days.
“I didn’t expect to lead the first round but after that it was all about playing for the win.”
Macnab opened with a one-over 73, but shot 76 in round two to surrender the lead to Floyd.
The 14-year-old Ebotse junior headed into the final round with a one-stroke lead but Macnab levelled the score with a birdie start. She pulled two shots clear when Floyd bogeyed the par three second. Two holes later, though, Floyd was back in control.
“I ended up in the water at six after my tee shot stayed right,” Macnab said. “I had very little room to work with after I ended up behind a tree and we were back to all square when I made a soft double.”
Floyd dropped shots at five and seven but countered with birdies at six, eight and nine, while Macnab got a bogey at eight with birdies at seven and eight.
Macnab and Floyd are both members of the Grant Veenstra Junior Golf Academy and have played golf together for years. “I knew it would go right down to the wire,” said Macnab.
“We won the All Africa Junior Golf Challenge together and in Japan we both shot 69 in the final round. I knew she would fight right up to the last putt.”
Floyd took a one-shot advantage into the back nine, but a bogey at the 11th left the pair tied on five-over.
“The 12th is a short par four and I hit a good drive that finished just left of the green, but I flew the chip well past the pin,” said Macnab. “I holed a four-metre putt for birdie to go one ahead and I had a two-shot lead when Kiera dropped at 13. She made a fantastic bogey, though.”
“I was so happy when I sunk that final putt on 18,” said Macnab. “It’s not easy to come into a tournament as the favourite. There is a lot of pressure on you.”
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