After yesterday’s round two was suspended, the Joburg Ladies Open resumed this morning at a later start time of 10am (local time). The remaining groups completed their rounds, and the rest of the field were able to kick-start their round two.
It has been an unconventional week for all involved on the LET and SLT after heavy rainfall and a flooded course caused the tournament to be reduced to 54-holes.
England’s Mimi Rhodes leads the way having completed the second round over two days. The rookie started the day five holes in, with Saturday seeing a bogey-free day, with a further four birdies rolling in, taking her round two score to 12-under par.
“It was tough starting part way through the round and starting after five holes, but I stuck to the same routine as I do usually,” said the rookie. “I tried to keep my focus out there, I had a good couple of ups and downs to start, and my putts were going in. I was able to keep the momentum from yesterday. I held some nice birdie putts on the back nine to finish off the round, so I’m really happy.”
If Rhodes wins tomorrow, this will make back-to-back wins for the 23-year-old, having won her maiden LET win at the Ford Women’s NSW Open in Australia two weeks ago. This would make it a dream season start for the rookie.
“I like target golf and felt the conditions were a bit like that. I think you just have to stay patient out there. My caddie helped me a lot, I was getting a bit frustrated if I missed the green, but he helped me stay focused.”
“I was just having fun out there and trying to take advantage of the birdies when I could. I’m just looking forward to tomorrow. I’m not going to try and think ahead too much but I’ll probably have a chilled afternoon now because it’s been a stressful day. I’ll just keep my routine the same and fingers crossed for tomorrow”, said Rhodes who has Charles Krog on her bag.
Only one-shot back is South Africa’s Casandra Alexander – yesterday’s overnight leader – on nine under par who sits on T2 alongside Ireland’s Lauren Walsh.
“It was very wet – I think that’s the best way to put it”, she said. “I was playing nicely. My first hole I missed a four-footer, it was a little slider, so I wasn’t too worried about it. I gave myself opportunities out there. Greens were really slow, it was tough to get the pace right with all the rain coming down – they were changing, getting slower, getting faster, they dried up a little – so it was tough out there”, she continued.
Having had a very successful couple of months on the Sunshine Ladies Tour (SLT), the 25-year-old is still in the run in to claim her first Ladies European Tour (LET) win on home soil.
“I started out hot and then obviously conditions get tough, and you just got to bite the bullet and take the pars, and that’s kind of what I did. Then just one silly mistake on 17, but otherwise I think it was pretty tidy. We’re still in the hunt and so we’ll have an interesting final day.”
Lauren Walsh, who wasn’t able to start her second round at all yesterday, started her 18 hole round this morning. The 24-year-old who is yet to claim her first LET title, had a great front nine, securing birdies on holes one, four, six, nine to make it a solid start. A further birdie on the 13th, made it a round of four-under par, and nine-under par after 36 holes.
“I’m really happy with the day. I had some good golf shots. I probably played better than I did the first day, maybe left a couple of putts out there, but overall I’m happy,” said Walsh.
“I’ll approach tomorrow the same way I’ve approached the last couple days. I’m playing well so more of the same. I hit a lot of fairways, a lot of greens, gave myself some chances and just keep having fun,” she continued.
Walsh has a new caddie on her bag this week, Robbie. “He started with me this week, so obviously, so far, so good, so we’ve worked quite well together the last two days. He’s doing the next couple of weeks with me so hopefully more of the same,” she said.
Sitting two shots back is rookie Kajsa Arwefjall, who also had a great front nine, with five birdies, carding seven-under par.
Arwefjall, who is using a local caddie this week, is having a great rookie season, claiming T8 at Lalla Meryem Cup and T4 in the Australian Women’s Classic.
“Very happy with today, I carded a lot of birdies first nine, and then just pars yesterday, so it was stable. I think it was fun to be out there and play some golf. The course with all the rain we’ve had I think is ok and the greenkeepers have done a great job,” said the 24-year-old.
“The events that I’ve mostly played better are the ones where it’s been raining and bad weather. So I don’t know, maybe I like the bad weather. It’s working well for me this week currently,” she continued.
Germany’s Helen Briem and Spain’s Nuria Iturrioz sit in T5 on six-under par, followed by Denmark’s Smilla Tarning Soenderby and Norway’s Dorthea Forbrigd on T7. Forbrigd had a stellar second round starting T70, then moving up to T7 after 36 holes. The 27-year-old had a bogey-free round, posting six-under par for the day.
After 36 holes of action following a week of uncertainty in Joburg, 64 players made the cut which fell at one-over-par.
The third and final round of the Joburg Ladies Open gets underway tomorrow morning at 7:10am (local time), with the leaders teeing off at 9am (local time). You can watch the final day on the LET website or find your local broadcaster.
Follow all the action at the Joburg Ladies Open on our socials – @LETgolf on Instagram, TikTok and X, and Ladies European Tour on YouTube and Facebook | #JoburgLadiesOpen | #WeGotGame #InspiringGreatness.
