Lee-Anne Pace is back at home and relishing the opportunity to win her third consecutive Investec South African Women’s Open.
The 11-time LET winner is a two-time defending champion heading into this week having clinched the title in 2021 and 2022.
Last year’s edition saw brutal conditions at Steenberg Golf Club, but it was the South African star who emerged victorious after defeating Argentina’s Magdalena Simmermacher on the sixth playoff hole.
Pace returns to Cape Town in search of a record sixth title in this tournament and believes her game is in a good place after a top-10 result at last week’s Joburg Ladies Open.
“I’m very excited and very confident,” said the 2010 LET Order of Merit winner. “I have been playing really well in the last few weeks building up to this week.
“I see the weather is going to be not too great, maybe a little a bit of rain for a couple of days, but that’s Cape Town and we have to deal with it.
“I think it’s my ball flight that means I do well here and in the wind. I have got a lower ball flight and can control both ways. It’s the control over the ball and just feeling at home.
“My game is really good. I was hitting balls and I can hit every shot that I want to and then I know my swing is in a good enough place to play any course here.”
Pace will be teeing it up at 07.40am local time from the 10th tee alongside fellow South African and 2022 AIG Women’s Open champion Ashleigh Buhai and England’s Lily May Humphreys – the winner of the 2023 Joburg Ladies Open.
This week is also the conclusion of the 2023 Sunshine Ladies Tour season and the LET stalwart is proud to have seen the growth on the Tour and the young players coming through.
She explained: “I have been playing on the Sunshine Ladies Tour for ten years now and there’s been massive growth in women’s golf in general, but it’s also amazing to be part of this Tour and this growth.
“The youngsters coming through are amazing, they’re really long hitters and really good ball strikers. There are good players coming through from South Africa, last week we had a couple in the top ten and it’s fantastic.”
Home support is crucial for Pace, who finished ninth in the 2023 Race to Costa del Sol, and it gives her an added bonus out on the golf course.
As well as enjoying the challenge that Steenberg Golf Club presents, the defending champion feels more relaxed on the golf course than ever and is hoping that shows this week in Cape Town.
She added: “I love the fact that family and friends get to come and watch. I have so much support every time I come back here. It’s nice to play in front of them, they never really get to see it live so that definitely gives me a little bit of a boost.
“I love everything here! I think it’s a good test and the greens are quite difficult. If the wind blows, you really do have to shape the ball and have control of the ball. The surroundings are beautiful, and the members are great.
“I suppose I feel more relaxed out there because of age but also I made a decision to play a little bit less and I don’t feel burnt out, I feel like I have a lot of energy. I’m playing one shot at a time and letting the golf speak for itself.”
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