Thailand’s April Angurasaranee took one look at the Modderfontein Golf Club earlier in the week and immediately liked what she saw. It certainly showed in her magnificent round of six under par 67 to lead the first round of the Joburg Ladies Open on Thursday.
Angurasaranee birdied her opening three holes on her way to a round that earned her a two-stroke lead over this Sunshine Ladies Tour and Ladies European Tour co-sanctioned field.
Nadia van der Westhuizen is the leading South African in the group of six players on four under par and chasing Angurasaranee.
It was that opening stretch as well as a run of three birdies over the turn that gave the Thai golfer the edge on a day when Norway’s Michelle Forsland was tied for the lead with three holes to play and then finished with a bogey and a triple bogey.
“Overall it was just a really good day. There was just something about this course that caught my eye. It suits my game. I can take advantage of the par fives here, but overall this course just has something that works with my game,” said Angurasaranee, who clearly has an affinity for the month of April having been born then and from which her parents gave her the name.
On a perfect Johannesburg day, Angurasaranee was rewarded for the work she’s been doing to trust her game at this level.
“I’m really confident with my game at the moment, so I just needed to trust myself and believe I could pull it off. I hit great shots and made good putts, and had a few solid up-and-down saves today.”
But with three rounds still to go, the Thai professional is doing her best not to get ahead of herself.
“It’s still a long way to go. I’ve just got to keep my head down and keep believing in my game. I just need to keep the momentum going.”
Van Der Westhuizen is the lone South African within the top 15 on the leaderboard and didn’t drop a single shot on the opening day.
Alongside her on four under par is Singapore’s Shannon Tan, currently ranked fourth on the Ladies European Tour Order of Merit.
SCORES:
67 - April Angurasaranee (THA)
69 - Nadia van der Westhuizen, Aunchisa Utama (THA), Shannon Tan (SIN), Laura Fuenfstueck (GER), Verena Gimmy (GER), Alexandra Swayne (ISV)
70 - Hannah Screen (ENG), Jana Melichova (CZE), Emily Penttila (FIN), Lydia Hall (WAL), Liz Young (ENG), Chiara Tamburlini (SUI), Camille Chevalier (FRA), Kim Metraux (SUI)
71 - Tvesa Malik (IND), Isabella van Rooyen, Emma Grechi (FRA), Sara Kjellker (SWE), Manon De Roey (BEL), Nicole Garcia, Luna Sobron Galmes (ESP), Eleanor Givens (ENG), Michelle Forsland (NOR)
72 - Brittney-Fay Berger, Tereza Melecka (CZE), Anne-Charlotte Mora (FRA), Moa Folke (SWE), Stacy Bregman
73 - Sanna Nuutinen (FIN), Linda Osala (FIN), Bonita Bredenhann (NAM), Ana Pelaez Trivino (ESP), Diksha Dagar (IND), Casandra Alexander, Virginia Elena Carta (ITA), Sofie Kibsgaard (DEN), Ridhima Dilawari (IND), Lauren Walsh (IRL), Emily Price (ENG), Anne-Lise Caudal (FRA), Sofie Bringner (SWE), Tiffany Arafi (SUI)
74 - Florentyna Parker (ENG), Maria Hernandez (ESP), Alice Hewson (ENG), Cecilie Finne-Ipsen (DEN), Lisa Pettersson (SWE), Leonie Harm (GER), Helen Kreuzer (GER), Genevieve Ling (MAS), Clara Young (SCO), Annabell Fuller (ENG), Kylie Henry (SCO), Momoka Kobori (NZL), Lee-Anne Pace, Gabriella Cowley (ENG), Patricia Isabel Schmidt (GER), Maha Haddioui (MAR), Pasqualle Coffa (NED)
Michael Vlismas Media