Staff WriterTess Samuels clinched the South Africa Women’s Amateur Flight Division title on Friday at Port Elizabeth Golf Club – The Hill, edging out Eastern Province’s Isabella Obray by a single hole in a match that kept everyone on the edge of their seats.
South African-born Samuels, who emigrated to England with her family three years ago, was delighted after winning the Flight Division after a very tight match against Eastern Province’s Isabella Obray.
Samuels, who squeaked past Obray by winning the final three holes to eke out a 1-up victory, was put under the spotlight from the very start.
Obray had won the 1st hole and never trailed until Samuels’ decisive birdie on the last hole swung the momentum completely.
“It’s a great achievement, and I’m really happy with myself,” said Samuels. “This is a huge step forward for me. I’m going to celebrate with a milkshake!”
Even though Obray never led by more than 2-up at any stage and looked poised to claim the title—especially after her win on the 15th—Samuels’ focus only grew stronger under the intense pressure.
“Honestly, I handled it by just focusing on one shot at a time, trying to hit it as good as I could,” said Samuels. “I tried to forget about the score.”
The match’s turning point came on the 17th hole when Samuels drew level for the first time, thanks to a critical putt.
“The turning point was probably on 17, the putt,” she said. “It was about 10 feet. I really had to drain that or, yeah, it would have been over.”
Facing the daunting 18th hole—a par-5 that demanded all of her 3-wood from over 200 metres out—Samuels needed nothing less than perfection. With a must-make birdie on the line, she held her nerve and sealed the win.
“On that final putt, I was just thinking, just don’t miss,” she said. “I had to think that it was just like I practise. It’s not any different.”
Looking ahead, while the prospect of a celebratory milkshake is certainly tempting, Samuels is already setting her sights on bigger goals.
“I want to get my swing speed up and make as many cuts as possible,” she added.
Samuels’ triumph in the South Africa Women’s Amateur Flight Division is not just a title—it’s a glimpse into a future where precision, passion, and a bit of youthful cheek promise to shake up the world of amateur golf.
