Staff WriterThe 32nd Investec South African Women’s Open is about to explode onto the fairways at Erinvale Country & Golf Estate this week, shining a spotlight on the unstoppable rise of international women’s golf.
As the final tournament on this year’s Sunshine Ladies Tour, it’s drawn a powerhouse field of Ladies European Tour stars and offers a hefty purse of €340 000 (approximately R7.1 million) when the first round gets underway on Thursday.
Beneath all the fanfare, though, lie some truly heartwarming tales of South Africa’s talented women golfers—and they’re adding an extra spark to what is already South African women’s golf’s most historic event.
Among them is Ivanna Samu, who returned from the 2020 edition of this tournament to a daunting cancer diagnosis.
Now, having bravely fought through the illness, she’s back in action with a whole new perspective on her career.
During her treatment, Samu found solace in sharing her love of the game by coaching young golfers, and that sense of purpose came full circle for her in the Sally Little and Imibala Golf Clinic at Erinvale on Wednesday.
“When I was going through my cancer I felt very down, and just seeing the joy on the kids’ faces brought joy to my own heart.
I’ve played in this tournament as an amateur and now as a professional. The Investec South African Women’s Open is a great tournament, and the opportunity to compete against the Ladies European Tour professionals gives me a great idea of where I want to get to.
I’ll be going to the LET Qualifying School this year, and this is where it starts. This is the opportunity we have been given,” she said.
Another rising star is 23-year-old Kaiyuree Moodley. She’s stolen the show on this year’s Sunshine Ladies Tour, sitting pretty atop the R&A Rookie of the Year standings and also sitting inside the top 10 on the Investec Order of Merit.
Already boasting playing privileges on the Ladies European Tour, Moodley was selected as one of Investec’s sponsored golfers for the season. Like Samu, she got her start with Sally Little’s clinic and was thrilled to come full circle.
“Sally Little actually invited me to one of her golf clinics when I was just starting out in the game.
So being able to come back and give something back to her clinic is awesome.
And if you’d told me at the beginning of the year that I would be sponsored by Investec in my first year as a professional I would’ve laughed.
It’s fantastic because I can now play freely without having to worry about anything. I feel very privileged to be here,” she said.
Meanwhile, Danielle du Toit is also shaking things up, having already claimed a victory on the Sunshine Ladies Tour this season. She’s teeing it up on Thursday brimming with ambition.
“This is the tournament you dream of winning, as a South African. But this game has opened so many doors for me. I’m excited for the week.”
Golfing legend Sally Little is delighted to see these emerging South African women’s golf heroes use this championship to forge their careers and inspire a new generation.
“To come to a tournament as a young professional and have the opportunity to play a golf course like Erinvale, it elevates that feeling of them being able to take their careers overseas and to achieve their dreams. It’s beautiful to see, and I’ll be pulling for a South African winner this year,”
Entrance is free for those eager to watch these incredible golfers battle it out, with parking available at Lourensford Wine Estate at no cost.
And if you can’t make it in person, the tournament will be televised live on SuperSport from Thursday to Sunday.
Expect riveting drama, exceptional skill, and possibly a fairytale finish worthy of South Africa’s biggest stage in women’s golf.
